Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, started his rookie season off better than any of us could have imagined with the LA Clippers.
After starting the year on the bench, Gilgeous-Alexander was inserted into the starting lineup just nine games into the season. In a way, he had forced Doc Rivers‘ hand — his numbers were impressive so far, especially for a rookie — but the pairing of Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley ultimately seemed to be what caused it. The two were playing great defense, but couldn’t get anything done on offense.