Former Los Angeles Clippers player Lou Williams opened up about the profound impact of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the Paul George deal.
Williams, who was Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammate during the young guard’s first year with the Clippers, expressed how the entire team was left “crushed” upon learning of the trade.
When asked if he foresaw Gilgeous-Alexander’s exceptional talent early on, Williams enthusiastically affirmed on Run It Back, “Absolutely.”
He reminisced about the collective heartbreak the team experienced when the trade transpired, highlighting their investment in Gilgeous-Alexander’s growth and development.
“We were heartbroken when he got traded. Absolutely, we were crushed,” Williams continued. “Even though it was for PG, we knew who PG was, but we had spent so much time and energy just being instrumental in his career and his development. Just making sure he’s getting extra shots.”
Williams commended Gilgeous-Alexander’s openness to learning and his relentless pursuit of greatness, qualities that convinced his former teammates that he would become a standout player.
“And he was so open to information, so open to learning and wanted to be great. We knew he was going to be one of those players,” Williams said.
Since leaving Los Angeles four years ago, Gilgeous-Alexander has transformed into one of the NBA’s premier scorers.
From his rookie season, where he averaged 10.8 points per game in 2018-19, to his remarkable performance as the league’s fourth-leading scorer with an average of 31.4 points per game in the 2022-23 season, Gilgeous-Alexander has rapidly risen as one of the NBA’s brightest stars.
