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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Through the first quarter of the 2025-26 NBA season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hasn't just picked up where he left off — he’s pushing into historically rare territory.
Averaging 32.8 points, 6.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 55.6% from the field, 44.3% from three, and 88.1% from the free-throw line, Gilgeous-Alexander is posting one of the most efficient high-volume scoring seasons in league history.
His true shooting number sits near 68.6%, and at just 1.7 turnovers per game, this may already rank among the lowest turnover rates for any player averaging 30+ nightly.
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That level of play prompted former MVP Steve Nash to draw what some called a "sacrilegious" comparison: slating Gilgeous-Alexander alongside Michael Jordan.
"Offensively, this guy is getting into the air, statistically, of people like Michael Jordan. I know that is sacrilegious to say, but look at some of these numbers. Of all-time 30 points per game scorers, he has the highest true shooting percentage. He is second in three-point field goal percentage. Two-pointers, sixth with 60%."
"We've seen how many fouls he has; he leads the league right now in fouls. And all the while, the fewest turnovers of anyone who's ever scored 30 points in a season. I mean, that is excellence, and it's unbelievable to watch. Do not get bored of this guy," Nash added.
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Gilgeous-Alexander’s 2024-25 campaign was historic by any standard.
He claimed the league scoring title (32.7 ppg), won regular-season MVP, and capped it with a Finals MVP after leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to their second-ever championship.
He became just the fourth player in NBA history to deliver that trio of accolades in a single season — joining Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
That season ended with a true shooting percentage of 63.7%, and now in 2025-26, Gilgeous-Alexander has brought it even higher.
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Being mentioned alongside Jordan is no small matter.
Nash’s words reflect more than nostalgia — they’re a statement about where the metrics place Gilgeous-Alexander among elite guards historically.
But raw numbers alone don’t guarantee equivalence to what made Jordan a legend.
To truly reach that benchmark, he will need sustained, multi-year excellence, genuine two-way impact, leadership under pressure, and consistency when it matters most: winning championships.
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