NBA Finals 2025: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the lost art of the midrange jumper

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA scoring champion with 32.7 points per game on 51.9% shooting this season .

He ranked second behind only DeMar DeRozan in 2 -point jump shots made ( 261 ) and attempted ( 495 ) in the NBA this season . "I know that's the shot that in today 's game that they're giving you the 15-foot pull-up shot," assistant coach Sam Cassell told ESPN . "He's just a bigger version of me -- bigger and faster".

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points on 11 -of-21 shooting and eight assists in Game 2 .

The Thunder star scored his 14th 30 -point game this postseason in a hard-fought Game 4 victory.

He's 6-6 with a wingspan of 6-11 , a wings of 6.11 , and weighs 195 pounds .

"People don't realize how strong he is," Thunder wing Alex Caruso says.

Gilgeous-Alexander is a "master of angles" who uses an array of tricks to create space or bait defenders into fouling him.

Nembhard: "He's physical and he's shifty, so he's hard to stay tight with" Cassell : "His speed is deceiving. He is stronger than you think he is".