Western Australia’s Alex Ducas may not have played at NBA level since April, but he has still joined an exclusive list of Aussies to win a prestigious Championship.
The Geraldton product was part of the Oklahoma City Thunder roster, with the franchise beating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the finals, and still earned a ring after being a part of the squad in their historic season.
The 24-year-old was one of two Australians in the NBA Finals series, with Pacers Johnny Furphy taking to the floor in the dying minutes of the game.
Ducas featured in 21 games during the regular season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds.
Just seven other Aussie players also boast championship experience, eight if you include Kyrie Irving, who is trying to become eligible to join the Boomers after previously representing the USA.
Meanwhile, his teammate, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has entered one of the game’s most elite clubs. He’s the most valuable player. The scoring champion. And now, an NBA champion along with NBA Finals MVP. All in one season.
The 26-year-old Canadian is atop the basketball world now in almost every way imaginable after he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA title.
He becomes the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP, a scoring title and play for a champion in the same season. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it once, Michael Jordan then did it four times, and Shaquille O’Neal was the last entrant into that fraternity – until now.
“It’s hard to believe that I’m part of that group. It’s hard to even fathom that I’m that type of basketball player sometimes,” Gilgeous-Alexander said” … I’m just glad and happy that my dreams have been able to come true.”
The title caps a season where the Thunder won 84 games, tied for the third most by any team in any season in NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished the season with 64 games of at least 30 points. The only other players to score 30 points that many times in a season: Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Bob McAdoo, James Harden, Jordan and Abdul-Jabbar.
Oklahoma City Thunder celebrate their NBA Championship. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
This was not a sneak attack up the ladder of superstardom. Gilgeous-Alexander has been climbing those rungs for years.
He’s one of only two players — Giannis Antetokounmpo is the other — to average at least 30 points per game in each of the last three seasons.
He led Canada to a bronze medal (over the United States, no less) at the World Cup in 2023, been an All-Star and first-team All-NBA pick for three years running, and just finished a season where he posted career bests in points and assists per game.
He scored 3172 points this season, including playoffs, the ninth-most by any player in NBA history.
Oh, and he’s a champion now.
“He’s getting better every year in just about everything,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think he’s really improved as a playmaker. … And then he’s an unbelievable scorer, and incredibly efficient. We lean into that.”
Opponents have no choice but to marvel at how Gilgeous-Alexander does what he does. He’s not a high-flying artist like Jordan, not an unstoppable force of power like LeBron James, not a 3-point dazzler like Stephen Curry.
He looks like he’s playing at his own pace much of time, largely because defences have few ways to slow him down or speed him up.
“Shai, he’s so good,” said star Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton during the series.
“He’s so slippery in between those gaps. He splits screens, like, I don’t know how he’s doing that. … He’s a really tough cover.”
The best team all season was the best team at the end, bringing the NBA title to Oklahoma City for the first time.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, overcoming the Pacers, who lost Tyrese Haliburton to a serious leg injury in the opening minutes.
Indiana led 48-47 at the half, even after losing their star to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game.
But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away.
It’s the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There’s nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title.
In October, a championship banner is finally coming – a Thunder banner.
– with AAP
