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As the Oklahoma City Thunder put the final touches on one of the greatest regular season teams ever, two constants have been there from the beginning as they flip 60-loss seasons to 60-win campaigns — Mark Daigneault and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The superstar-coach duo is the most important dynamic to hit in the NBA. Look at the history of the sport and every title contender can proudly point to that. Not only did Sam Presti make contact, but his swing resulted in a walk-off grand slam.
After Daigneault received his flowers last season when he won Coach of the Year, it's Gilgeous-Alexander's turn under the national spotlight. He's likely on his way to an MVP award as his historic 30-point campaign paired with the Thunder's historic dominance is the perfect marriage to win the prestigious trophy.
After the Thunder's latest blowout win over the Indiana Pacers, Gilgeous-Alexander went out of his way to praise Daigneault's development as an unknown to household name.
"Coach hates credit. He hates anything besides competition in basketball. That purity from him sets the tone for us as a group. A lot of times, you guys ask how we're so close and how we're so connected, him being our head coach and the leader he is," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "He's so humble and down to earth that it trickles down for sure. As far as coaching the game of basketball, I think we all can say he's really, really good at it."
Being a successful NBA head coach isn't just about drawing up the best ATO plays. This isn't NBA 2K where players are virtual robots. Relationship building is as important as a variable. Looking at the Memphis Grizzlies for the latest example. Once Taylor Jenkins lost the locker room, he turned into a dead man walking.
"Not only is he really good with the X's and O's, he's good personally, he's good tactically, he's ballsy in situations when he needs to be. He's not afraid of the moment. He's always looking for ways to get better," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Above all, he empowers every single player that plays for him. That's the biggest thing you want from a coach. For your coach to believe in you and your game, so when you go out there, you can be the best version of yourself. He's done that all the way down from me to guys that were here and aren't here."
When Daigneault was hired, he was hit with the "developmental coach" label. That's usually reserved for unknown names that were added to lead a team through a rebuild. Similarly to Gilgeous-Alexander when he first arrived, he went from an intriguing prospect to one of the best players.
As the Thunder matured from a rebuild to a title contender, both have hit their stride in their respective career field. That's made it easy for Gilgeous-Alexander and Daigneault to be tied to the hip and on the same page with the franchise's history. The MVP candidate wanted to make sure he gave him his proper dues with the playoffs around the corner.
"His greatness every single day allows us to be great," Gilgeous-Alexander said.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Mark Daigneault's ascension as head coach
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