NBA Players: 3 Reasons why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander could be an All-Star this season

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was selected with the eleventh overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 NBA draft, although the Kentucky product was traded to the LA Clippers on the same day. Widely viewed as a raw talent, Gilgeous-Alexander wasn't expected to play a significant role during the 18-19 season, although the point guard forced himself into contention after averaging 19.0 points and 4.8 rebounds during Summer League.

Within weeks of the season beginning, Gilgeous-Alexander had already established himself as a regular starter, and the Toronto native went on to play in all 82 games (73 starts), averaging 10.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. However, the young guard now finds himself in Oklahoma City after the Clippers dealt him to the Thunder in the blockbuster trade for Paul George.

Following his impressive rookie season, many expect Gilgeous-Alexander to make an immediate impact with his new team, and here we will take at three reasons why he could make an All-Star appearance.

#3 Lack of other stars in Oklahoma City

The young guard won't have to share the spotlight in Oklahoma City

While Chris Paul will enter the season as an Oklahoma City player, Presti and the Thunder are determined to offload the former All-Star. The last thing the Thunder want is CP3's presence disrupting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's development, and other notable names such as Dennis Schroder also face an impending exit.

While this sets the Thunder up for an underwhelming season, it provides Gilgeous-Alexander with the platform to quickly emerge as the face of the team. The young point guard will also get plenty of press as he is continually compared to his predecessor, Russell Westbrook.

Nikola Vučević, Bradley Beal, and Karl-Anthony Towns all snuck into 2019's All-Star team due to a lack of talent around them, and a similar situation in Oklahoma City will only help to elevate Gilgeous-Alexander's numbers and visibility.

#2 Unselfish teammates in a system built for Gilgeous-Alexander

Steven Adams and Andre Roberson will take a backseat to Gilgeous-Alexander

As mentioned, the Oklahoma City Thunder roster is likely to change as the season progresses, although Gilgeous-Alexander is presently on a notably unselfish roster.

Steven Adams has spent years sacrificing his own numbers to ensure Russell Westbrook averaged an annual triple-double, while Andre Roberson flourishes by disrupting opposing teams without the ball in his hands. Elsewhere, Terrance Ferguson is increasingly looking like a 3-and-D role player, while Danilo Gallinari will be happy to stand on the wing and wait for open shots.

The unit of Roberson and Adams will be especially important, and the duo's role in Russell Westbrook's 2017 Most Valuable Player winning campaign was dramatically understated. Ultimately, Gilgeous-Alexander isn't on the most talented roster, although he has teammates that are willing to take a step back and enhance his push for an All-Star appearance.

#1 Potentially huge numbers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a varied skill set that could fill up the stat-sheet

During his rookie season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged an impressive 10.8 points, 3.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game, although the young guard's numbers still have plenty of room for improvement.

Possessing a 6-foot-6 frame, the guard is deceivingly quick and was statistically one of the best isolation scorers during the 18-19 season. Gilgeous-Alexander will also be the first point of the offense this season, and his career-high 25 point performances in the playoffs demonstrated just how lethal he can be.

Gilgeous-Alexander's playmaking skills are evident to see, and his assist numbers should naturally increase now that he is away from the ball-dominant Lou Williams. Meanwhile, Billy Donovan's preference for his point guard to launch attacks from uncontested rebounds should also lead to a drastic increase in rebounding stats.

Ultimately, Gilgeous-Alexander isn't going to replicate Russell Westbrook's absurd numbers in his first season, although he could propel himself firmly into the All-Star conversation by averaging 20-6-6.