DeMarcus Cousins argued on Run It Back that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s profile would be far larger in a major market, sparking new debate about how Oklahoma City’s market size affects the league’s reigning MVP.
Cousins said, “If you put SGA on the Knicks, Chicago, Lakers; he’s a global superstar now but it would be 10x.”
Lou Williams offered a different view during the same discussion, saying, “With everything being so digital, I don’t think market matters as much.”
The conversation arrived at a time when Gilgeous-Alexander is producing one of the most dominant stretches in recent league history.
He led the Thunder to a 68–14 record last season while earning MVP, Finals MVP, the scoring title, and Western Conference Finals MVP.
His run included four 50-point games, 75 games with at least 20 points, and a streak of 72 consecutive outings with 20 or more points.
He opened the 2025–26 season with 35 points against Houston and then 55 points against Indiana, marking two double-overtime wins that set NBA records for scoring output and free-throw volume through two games.
Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to lead the Thunder to a 24–1 start this season while averaging 32.6 points, 6.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals.
He extended his streak of scoring at least 20 points to 93 games, the second-longest in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 126.
Cousins’ comments raised questions about whether Oklahoma City’s market limits the global reach of Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise despite the statistical dominance.
He also became the fastest in franchise history to reach 10,000 points and holds Oklahoma City’s record for consecutive 20-point games.
The Thunder’s deep playoff run last season added to the case that his visibility is growing regardless of zip code.
Cousins believes that those performances would have even greater commercial impact had they occurred in New York or Los Angeles.
Williams countered that global platforms have changed how fans consume basketball and argued that market size no longer shapes stardom the way it once did.
