Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Toronto, Ontario won the 2023 Northern Star Award, presented to the top Canadian athlete of the year. It was a memorable 2023 calendar year for Gilgeous-Alexander, as he was fourth in NBA scoring in 2022-23, was on the All-NBA First Team, participated in the NBA All-Star Game in Salt Lake City, Utah, and guided Team Canada to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Asia.
With the Thunder, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.4 points per game, 6.2 assists per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, and a NBA-high 2.8 steals per game in 2023-24. He also has a field goal percentage of .550, three-point percentage of .343, and a free throw percentage of .917.
In 2022-23, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.4 points per game, 5.5 assists per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 1.6 steals per game, one block per game, and had a field goal percentage of .510, three-point percentage of .345, and a free throw percentage of .905.
At the World Cup, Gilgeous-Alexander was also fourth in scoring, as he averaged 24.5 points per game. He also led the tournament with a 30.4 efficiency percentage. This was the first time in the history of the World Cup that Canada earned a medal, and by being the top country from the Americas, Canada qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
