AP Photo/Michael Conroy
Basketball star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been named the 2023 Northern Star as Canada’s Athlete of the Year.
The 25-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario is the second basketball player ever to receive the honor, following in the footsteps of Hall of Famer Steve Nash who won it back in 2005.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a fantastic year – arguably one of the greatest ever in Canadian basketball – while representing his country on the international stage and in his professional career.
He was an All-Star guard at the FIBA World Cup where he scored 31 points and 12 assists in the bronze medal game as Canada defeated the United States to win its first-ever FIBA Men’s World Championship medal. It came just days after helping Canada qualify for its first men’s Olympic basketball tournament since Sydney 2000.
For his efforts with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he was named to the All-NBA First Team for the 2022-23 season after averaging 31.4 points per game. He’s off to a strong start to the 2023-24 season as well, with 30.5 points per game and 2.8 steals per game.
It was a tough debate for the national panel of journalists who voted on the award, which is run by the Toronto Star. Gilgeous-Alexander beat out several other finalists, including world hammer throw champion Camryn Rogers, world champion swimmer and world record holder Summer McIntosh, hockey star Connor McDavid, and golfer Nick Taylor, who became the first Canadian in 69 years to win a championship. RBC Canadian Open. .
