LOS ANGELES — At this time last year, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a college freshman coming off the bench for Kentucky.
The Wildcats had just lost a nationally televised game (as all of the Wildcats’ games were) to Kansas (and future Lakers draft pick Svi Mykhailiuk, who scored a team-high 17 points in the win).
Gilgeous-Alexander was, back then, a dreadlock-rocking 19-year-old averaging 7.7 points, 3.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals in 28 minutes per game, but he wasn’t a headliner yet for the seventh-ranked Wildcats.
Fast forward 365 days, and Gilgeous-Alexander, sans dreads, is a regular starter – for the Clippers.
The 11th overall pick is starting in the NBA, contributing and somehow making it look easy.
On Monday against the Golden State Warriors – winners of three of the past four NBA titles – he coolly had the best statistical game of any rookie in team history. Gilgeous-Alexander became the first Clippers rookie to log 18-plus points, 5-plus rebounds, 3-plus assists, 2-plus steals and at least one blocked shot while shooting more than 70 percent in a game.
In the three games leading into Thursday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and three assists while shooting 50 percent from the field and from 3-point range.
“He’s playing great for us and we need him, we need him to continue to play like that,” said reserve forward Mike Scott, who joked about doing his part to make sure Gilgeous-Alexander stays on track.
“I’m making sure he’s staying humble, still smacking him every chance I get,” Scott added. “Just smacking the back of his neck … if I have to smack him every day to get him to play like that, I’ll do it.”
Fellow rookie Jerome Robinson is there to lend an assist when he can, too.
“He’s chill,” Robinson said. “It’s just fun ’cause I’m talking to him during the game. I’m telling things I see on the bench, and he’ll go out there and he’s so effective when he’s doing those things. He’s been great since the start of the season.”
GETTING ROBINSON ROLLING
Robinson, the Clippers’ other lottery pick, has been splitting his time between the Clippers and the team’s G League affiliate, the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario – where the 6-foot-5 shooting guard is on assignment to score.
Robinson scored 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting in a 109-103 loss to the Iowa Wolves on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, he beat Coach Doc Rivers to the gym for shootaround as the L.A. Clippers prepared for Thursday’s game against the Spurs.
“I’m so impressed with Jerome; he has the thirst and the drive to be a good player, and he will be,” Rivers said, adding that he thinks the G League play is giving Robinson’s spirit a healthy boost. “Whenever the ball goes in for any player, it gives you confidence, it just does.”
Robinson, the 13th overall selection, agreed when he paused to chat after shootaround, where he was the last player to leave the court.
“It’s just good to go down there and get some run, it’s a stepping stone,” said Robinson, thrilled to have just beaten veteran guard Patrick Beverley in a competitive 3-point shooting contest for just the second time in at least 12 tries.
“His time is definitely coming,” said Beverley, who was still ribbing Robinson about the rare shooting victory before the game Thursday evening. “He’s an NBA player. I can’t wait to see him hit his stride, whether it’s this year, end of this year, whenever it is. He’s really good.”