West Finals is latest thing Nickeil Alexander-Walker shares with cousin SGA

Nickeil Alexander-Walker shut down his cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, in a play-in victory in 2023 that despatched the Thunder house and clinched the Timberwolves’ second consecutive playoff berth.

It was a breakout defensive efficiency for Alexander-Walker, step one within the guard incomes a spot in Minnesota’s rotation for years to come back. It additionally was a exhibiting that carried some added weight given the opponent.

“I know they’re like brothers or something,” Anthony Edwards stated after the sport.

The remark drew laughter. Everybody else knew the household lineage. However because it seems, Edwards was nearer to being right than most knew.

After securing his first Western Convention Finals look in opposition to, who else, however Alexander-Walker, Gilgeous-Alexander described the chance to play in opposition to his cousin on such a grand stage.

“It’s tough to even explain. If you know how close we are, he’s literally like my second brother,” Gilgeous-Alexander advised reporters. “He has been through every stage of life with me, from picking up a basketball to going to prep school to making the NBA, we’ve gone through every situation together. For both us to be where we are, it’s special.”

When he says each stage, he means it fairly actually. Alexander-Walker recollects going to elementary faculty together with his cousin and the desires that they had of taking part in basketball on the highest stage. He remembers the conversations that they had centering on who was one of the best between the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Allen Iverson. They made plans for teenagers in future years to must debate: “Nickeil or Shai?”

The pursuit of such heights introduced the cousins from Toronto to Tennessee, the place they attended Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga for his or her junior and senior seasons of highschool. The cousins lived along with then-Hamilton Heights head coach Zach Ferrell.

“They shared beds that were feet apart, and they literally did every moment of life together for two years while they were in Tennessee,” Ferrell told The Oklahoman. “As close as any two people could be.”

Lastly, basketball took them on separate journeys. Gilgeous-Alexander dedicated to Kentucky, whereas Alexander-Walker went to Virginia Tech. That’s when Alexander-Walker stated the 2 knew they wished to have their very own particular person identities. However the help remained.

Gilgeous-Alexander left Kentucky for the draft after one season. A 12 months later, Alexander-Walker went professional. And on the evening he was chosen No. 17 general, his cousin was proper by his facet.

“It’s a blessing, obviously. But we worked for it our whole life. And we knew, since as early as I could remember, that we’d both make it, and we’re here today,” Gilgeous-Alexander advised ESPN on his cousin’s draft evening. “We still have more to prove. It doesn’t stop here for us, and we’re ready for the challenge.”

Gilgeous-Alexander’s path to greatness within the NBA has been extra of a straight-line ascension, however Alexander-Walker has additionally now confirmed himself to be a high-end, two-way wing who’s set to money in for a big payday this offseason. Reality be advised, Gilgeous-Alexander has all the time seemingly had the higher hand over his cousin. However on Alexander-Walker’s draft evening, when requested who gained the vast majority of the one-on-one bouts, Gilgeous-Alexander smiled and stated, “I’ll say him, because it’s his day.”

No such concessions will likely be made on this collection.

After the Thunder topped Denver in Sport 7 of the Western Convention semifinals on Sunday to safe this brotherly bout, Alexander-Walker’s mother apparently texted Gilgeous-Alexander’s dad, “Oh it’s war now.”

“It’s all love at the end of the day, but it’s really cool,” Alexander-Walker advised reporters. “It’s a real cool feeling, especially if I go on my phone, it’s the only thing I see — especially from friends and family back home. I think 10 years from now, 20 years from now, I’ll be able to appreciate the moment for what it was and what we were able to accomplish.”

That record of achievements is lengthy. Draft nights, Olympics, now a Western Convention Finals journey shared, although this time by means of opposing lenses. That’s what makes this expertise a bit completely different.

“Off the court, it’s always going to be love and family time, hanging out. Like he mentioned earlier, we have gone through so many things in life together — even like fatherhood. So just having a chance to see his kids, him to see mine and just be able to interact like that,” Alexander-Walker stated. “But (in) times like this, you want to keep it as business as possible. But at the same time, enjoying this once-in-a-lifetime moment.”

With a selected mission in thoughts.

“In this time, the only thing I care about is making sure the Wolves get four wins,” Alexander-Walker stated. “It’s kind of like playing poker. You’ve got to play the man. I can’t air out all my tricks right now. I can’t give up the strategies. But I think it’s just enjoying the opportunities, enjoying the matchup. I’m going to get the best of him sometimes, he’s going to get the best of me. But not backing down, and trying to stop him more than he can stop me in whatever ways and facets that looks like.”

The sensation is mutual on the opposite finish.

“I am trying to take his head off,” Gilgeous-Alexander stated with amusing. “For sure.”

Initially Printed: Could 20, 2025 at 4:32 PM CDT