“It's an amazing story”: Kevin Durant extends a bag of support for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander while revealing Thunder star’s true goal in NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended his remarkable run of 20-point performances to 127 straight games during a 104-102 victory over the Boston Celtics, breaking a long-standing record once owned by Wilt Chamberlain.

It was certainly special.The achievement did not go unnoticed by former Thunder star Kevin Durant. The veteran forward, widely regarded as one of the greatest scorers in league history, praised Gilgeous-Alexander while reflecting on the journey that carried the Canadian guard from overlooked prospect to NBA champion and MVP.

Kevin Durant showers praise on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, revealing Thunder star's goal

Kevin Durant understands the difficulty of maintaining elite scoring night after night.

During his own career, the former Thunder star recorded multiple long scoring streaks, including runs of 72 and 56 games with at least 20 points. That perspective shaped his appreciation for Gilgeous-Alexander’s accomplishment.“He's been out of this world for the last four, five years. Especially scoring the ball. I think he's averaging 30 over the last four years," Durant said. "I love players who care about leaving their mark in the history books.

You can tell Shai cares about it. Obviously, he’s a team-first player. But you can tell he wants to be great. He wants to be considered one of the greatest of all time."Durant continued by highlighting the persistence that shaped Gilgeous-Alexander’s career path."He's putting in that work every single day. Congrats to him for accomplishing that. Coming where he comes from. Being overlooked a bit coming into the league.

Now looking where he is, it's an amazing story a lot of people can learn from and be inspired from."Notably, Durant served as the franchise’s first superstar and helped elevate the Thunder into a contender during his tenure. Years later, Gilgeous-Alexander now leads the organization through another era of success.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander already has his next NBA goal set

Gilgeous-Alexander delivered another dominant performance during the record-breaking night. He finished with 35 points, nine assists, and six rebounds while guiding Oklahoma City through a tight contest.

Boston’s defense rotated multiple defenders toward him throughout the game, though the Thunder guard continued to find ways to score.His offensive style reflects inspiration from some of the sport’s most iconic guards."Honestly, I shoot and fall in love with him because of guys like Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "If anything, they changed the game, and how it's played.

Those are just my favorite players and who I try to model my game after."Even after surpassing Chamberlain’s long-standing mark, the MVP guard continues to focus on improvement. One goal stands out for him moving forward."I have never had a season at 50/40/90, and I still think there are ways I can grow. Just understanding the game, understanding tactics, understanding the team's plan for me. Other coaches, how they coach against the best guy on the other team. There is always something to learn, the game is always evolving, guys are getting better around me. There is always something for me to pick up on and learn," Gilgeous-Alexander said Thursday night.The Thunder star remains close to that efficiency benchmark this season. His shooting percentages have hovered near the elite standard that defines the rare 50/40/90 club.