“My biggest inspiration on the court has always been Kobe Bryant. I love every aspect of what he’s contributed to the game of basketball,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander during an interview with V Magazine back in February. It is no secret that the Black Mamba’s legacy has inspired several NBA players of today, including the Thunder star. Growing up, the Lakers star certainly left an imprint on his mind. Therefore, Shai would be feeling nothing but honored as comparisons between him and the late player are being made left and right.
The Oklahoma City Thunder lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Indiana Pacers by a close 111-110 score. Despite this, Shai won over the crowd through his performance, scoring 34 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Former NBA player Danny Green praised SGA’s mid-range game and footwork, saying, “He reminds me of Kobe. He still does a lot in the mid-range and a lot of fundamental”. The same sentiment was reflected by several other fans on X.
This would lead one to ask: How similar are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Kobe Bryant? Well, read on to find out.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander vs Kobe Bryant regular season stats comparison – Who had a better performance in year 7?
Since the ongoing tournament marks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 7th season with the NBA, it would be best to check the Black Mamba’s stats for that year too.
According to ‘Land of Basketball’, Kobe Bryant played in all 82 games during his 7th year, which was the 2002-03 season. He averaged 30.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks. On the shooting front, he averaged 10.6-23.5 (45.1%) field goals, 1.5-4.0 (38.3%) 3-pointers, and 7.3-8.7 (84.3%) free throws.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, along with 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks. He successfully shot 11.3-21.8 (51.9%) field goals, 2.1-5.7 (37.5%) 3-pointers, and 7.9-8.8 (89.8%) free throws.
The comparison shows that Shai wins in the average points part. He also holds the lead on the shooting front, except for the fact that Kobe Bryant made slightly more field goal attempts per game, and the success rate of his 3-pointers was also slightly higher.
Some people might not willingly give credit to the Thunder star for also holding the lead in the free-throw category. After all, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has created a reputation of being a ‘free-throw merchant’, meaning that he puts defenders in precarious positions and generates free throws by intentionally drawing fouls. Shai ranked 2nd (after Giannis Antetokounmpo) in leading the league in free throw attempts, with 669, this season. He ranks 36th all-time in free throw attempts per game with 7.0 per game, placing himself right behind players like Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, and Trae Young. While Kobe might have stood higher overall, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might one day cross him if he continues being a ‘free-throw’ merchant.
May 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) in the fourth quarter during game two of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Even without free throws, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a beast on the offensive front. He is the only player in the NBA to average more than 20 drives per game. He likes to attack from inside the arc. This makes his playing style quite close to that of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. They too were known for leveraging midrange pull-ups and fadeaways.
Despite Shai not relying on 3-pointers too much, he still attempted 5.7 per game, while the Lakers‘ star averaged only 3. This means that the Black Mamba, despite having slightly lower average points, relied more on scoring from within the paint than SGA. Kobe Bryant takes the lead in average rebounds and steals. The 6.9 rebounds were Kobe’s career high. Going forward, he averaged more than 6 rebounds in only one other season, and mostly remained between the 5.1-5.7 range. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is generally considered an above-average rebounder for his position. However, he is not a dominant one. His rebounds for this season were a drop from the 5.5 in the previous one.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander vs Kobe Bryant Season playoffs stats comparison – Who had a better playoff performance in year 7?
Interestingly, both Kobe Bryant and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made it to the playoffs in their 7th year. However, the Black Mamba’s Lakers only made it to the Conference Semi-Finals, losing 4-2 to the San Antonio Spurs. Times sure have changed now.
Kobe Bryant averaged 32.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 12 games of the playoffs. He also recorded 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks. On the shooting front, he was a beast, as he averaged 11.4-26.4 (43.2%) field goals, 2.1-5.2 (40.3%) 3-pointers, and 7.2-8.7 (82.7%) free throws. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has averaged, as of now, 30.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 6.7 assists in 17 games. He also averaged 1.6 steals and 0.5 blocks. On the shooting front, he averaged 10.4-22.1 (47.1%) field goals, 1.6-5.1 (31.4%) 3-pointers, and 7.8-9.1 (85.8%) free throws.
Jan 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) yells as he handles the ball defended by Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen (9) during the third quarter at Staples Center. The Memphis Grizzlies won 109-106. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Unlike the regular season stats, Kobe Bryant takes the lead this time on the shooting front. Since the start, he was known as a renowned playoff performer, thanks to his intense competitiveness and clutch-time heroics. This makes him more similar to Tyrese Haliburton than Shai. It also highlighted that the Black Mamba emphasized performing better in the postseason.
Shai led Kobe on the assists front by a wide margin. The player even led his team on the assists front during the regular season too. It is his responsibility to pass on the ball that he can’t hit, relying on other scorers like Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein to take the charge. Shai’s field goals were also not so far from Kobe’s.
Despite belonging to different eras, Shai continued placing emphasis on attacking from the arc. As reported by ‘The Ringer’ journalist Kirk Goldsberry, only 72 of the Thunder star’s 476 postseason points (15 percent) have come through 3-pointers. Even against Minnesota’s long and active defense, SGA was able to record 17 dunks and layups, and 29 midrange shots. 46 of his 53 buckets during the Western finals came inside the arc. Unlike so many players who couldn’t help but rely on the 3-pointers, Shai still remains a player of the old era.
Through the analysis, one can say that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the better performance in the regular season. Kobe Bryant in the playoffs. Ironic, since Shai reached the NBA Finals. At the same time, the margins were relatively close. Therefore, it is good to know that anyone who wants to compare Kobe and Shai in the future, this as proof to highlight.
The post Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs Kobe Bryant Stat Comparison: Wins, Losses, Regular Season & Playoff Records in Year 7 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
