Josh Giddey’s Consistent Development Fuels Success Of Thunder

The ascension of the Oklahoma City Thunder this season has been one of the most fascinating storylines of the 2022-23 campaign. After just two seasons away from the postseason, Oklahoma City is currently in position to potentially get back.

The two primary individuals that have gotten national attention this season are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as one of the top guards in the entire country this season, with a real chance to make All-NBA First Team. Meanwhile, Williams has been the steal of this rookie class, making a late push at winning NBA Rookie of the Year despite being the No. 12 overall pick in the draft.

With that in mind, perhaps the most underrated piece of this Thunder team’s success is second-year guard Josh Giddey. He plays with such poise that it’s easy to forget he’s just 20 years old and not a veteran in this league. The Australian is still one of the 25 youngest players in the NBA and the second youngest on the OKC roster. He’s only played 126 NBA games thus far in the early part of his career.

After a fantastic rookie season, earning All-Rookie honors, Giddey’s year two leap isn’t being talked about enough. Although he’s played roughly the same amount of minutes per game, the production and efficiency has increased tremendously.

On the season, Giddey is averaging 16.5 points per game while shooting 48.6% from the floor and 32.9% from deep. That’s an increase of four points per contest with an uptick of 6.7% from the field and 6.6% from deep from his rookie campaign. He’s also been a better free throw shooter and has gotten to the line more frequently.

It’s remarkable to see a guy that was arguably a top five rookie last season make this big of a jump year-over-year. Furthermore, he’s even improved dramatically over the course of the 2022-23 season alone. Since the NBA All-Star break, Giddey has averaged 17.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists while shooting 36.2% from deep. At this point, there’s an argument to be made that he’s a top four player in his class

At 6-foot-9, Giddey is able to score effectively at all three levels. He has the strength to bully his way to the rim, has a nice midrange floater game, and more recently has figured out his 3-point shot. When he’s not scoring, the 20-year-old is setting up his teammates as he’s one of the best passers in the entire league. Giddey fits in nearly any lineup combination due to his ability to contribute in many ways.

He can be a primary scorer or a playmaker for others depending on what the team needs at the time. On either end, he can also play nearly any position with his size and skillset. This makes building a competitive roster that much easier with how versatile he is.

While Josh Giddey hasn’t gotten the attention he deserves, he’s been a huge part of Oklahoma City’s success this season on the path to a potential postseason appearance.