NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the Northern Star Award as Canada’s 2023 Athlete of the Year.
The award is presented annually by the Toronto Star and voted on by sports journalists across Canada. Gilgeous-Alexander is the second basketball player to receive this award. Hall of Fame guard Steve Nash won it in 2005.
He beat Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, RBC Canadian Open champion Nick Taylor, hammer thrower Camryn Rogers and swimmer Summer McIntosh.
Gilgeous-Alexander, 25, of Hamilton, was instrumental in helping the Canadian men’s basketball team qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the FIBA Men’s World Championship.
He was named to the all-tournament team after leading Canada past the United States to a 127-118 overtime victory in the bronze medal game.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 24.5 points per game at the World Cup, the fourth-highest point total in the tournament. He also averaged 6.4 assists.
He earned his first-ever NBA All-Star selection and was named to the All-NBA first team last season as he averaged 31.4 points, 5.5 assists, 4 during the 2022-23 season for the Oklahoma City Thunder .8 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
Nash, Jamaal Magloire and Andrew Wiggins are the only other Canadians voted NBA All-Stars. Nash (three times) is the only other Canadian named to the All-NBA first team.
Gilgeous-Alexander has maintained that pace this season, averaging 30.5 points, 6.2 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 steals in 20 games for the Thunder this year.
&Copy 2023 The Canadian Press
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