Why Mark Daigneault wants Chris Paul to be an example for Chet Holmgren

OKLAHOMA CITY — In light of the Los Angeles Clippers Chris Paul announces his retirement at the end of the season, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault took the time to share how the future Hall of Fame point guard is a great example for Chet Holmgren. After The Thunder improved to 17-1 with Sunday’s win against the Portland Trail Blazers, Daigneault discussed what Paul means to the franchise.

The Thunder head coach also explained how Paul’s approach resembles Holmgren’s before every game, Daigneault said, after beating the Trail Blazers 122-95.

“One of the great point guards in the history of the game and one of the great players of this generation,” Daigneault said. “And he’s been here twice. He was here when the team moved here before the Thunder came here. Then he had a great resurgence season the year he was here. He just brought a professionalism, a willingness, a seriousness about his craft that was powerful every day.

“He’s a great example of what I mentioned with Chet (Holmgren). One night in some random NBA city in the middle of December on a Wednesday, he’s going to be ready to play. There’s just a high, high level of professionalism that he brings, and that’s what great players do,” Daigneault concluded.

Chris Paul joined the Thunder in the 2019-20 season when Mark Daigno was still an assistant coach. Oklahoma City entered the playoffs as the fifth seed, led by Chris, a young Thunder team that features promising guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in his first season in OKC. Daigneault was named head coach next season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s eye-opening efficiency for the Thunder

Eighteen games into the regular season, Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored one of the more impressive goals you’ll ever see in the NBA. Despite a string of injuries to Thunder playerslike All-Star Jalen Williams and Kenrich Williams, both of whom missed the entire regular season, Gilgeous-Alexander led his team to an NBA-best 17-1 record as the defending champions.

He is averaging 32.2 points on 54.3% shooting, including 41.2% from deep, 6.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. What’s most impressive about Gilgeous-Alexander’s production is the fact that he’s missed nine of the Thunder’s 18 fourth quarters this season, meaning he’s still averaging 30+ points through three quarters in half of his games.

Gilgeous-Alexander has also scored a point for every minute he’s played so far – absurd ratio of points per minuteremarked Thunder TV sideline reporter Nick Gallo.

Shai now has 580 points in 593 minutes this season, Gallo said.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 37 points on 13-of-18 shooting, including 2-for-3 from deep and 9-for-9 from the free throw line in Sunday’s 27-point win over the Trail Blazers.