SLAM: You’re at present the frontrunner to win MVP this season—in accordance with Vegas odds, in accordance with the media, and many others. How a lot do you take note of stuff like that, and the way massive of a objective is it for you?
SGA: It’s one other blessing. So many issues [happened] from then to now for me to get right here. A few of it’s luck, a few of it’s serving to arms, a few of it’s laborious work. Numerous stars must align and issues have for me, and I’m tremendous blessed for that. The sensation is wonderful. Clearly, nothing is gained in January, clearly. However to be taking part in on the stage that I’m, to be acknowledged, to my crew successful—issues are clearly getting in the suitable route. I haven’t reached any of my targets but, so I’m not happy. I’ve much more to perform. The work gained’t cease. However yeah, headed down the suitable path, for positive.
SLAM: Anthony Edwards made a remark just lately that you simply have been the clear-cut MVP this season and will’ve been the MVP final season. What’s it like having different star gamers offer you that sort of reward?
SGA: Your friends do it at a excessive stage. They perceive the grind it takes, perceive the day after day. No person understands greater than them. To me, their opinion holds probably the most weight as a result of they do the very same factor that I do on the identical stage and perceive what it takes. So it’s an excellent feeling.
SLAM: Do you agree together with his assertion that it is best to’ve gained final 12 months?
SGA: Umm, I don’t actually care about [not winning it last year] a lot. It’s one thing I can’t management. I can’t management votes. I attempted to offer final 12 months my all, tried to be the perfect model of myself. And I assume that wasn’t sufficient. So, my mindset within the summertime was to attempt to ensure that this 12 months it was sufficient.
SLAM: There are folks on-line who evaluate you to Allen Iverson. Have you ever seen these comparisons?
SGA: I haven’t heard these, however I strive to not get into social media and scouring by social media whereas I’m going by the season. However that’s an incredible feeling as effectively. Allen Iverson was, like, my favourite basketball participant rising up—the rationale why I had braids as a child, wore a headscarf, the rationale why I began taking part in basketball. So, it’s a cool feeling. The issues he’s accomplished for the sport, for the tradition—on and off the court docket—are second to none. In order that’s fairly cool.
SLAM: Did you research his recreation once you have been rising up?
SGA: I by no means actually studied a lot of his recreation, simply ’trigger I used to be youthful and I simply wasn’t finding out [yet]. I used to be simply watching as a fan. However one thing that stood out about him was his supreme confidence. On the court docket, he performed the identical approach. His confidence by no means wavered. Good shot, dangerous shot. He made 4 in a row, 5 in a row. He all the time performed the identical approach. Performed laborious. And off the court docket, he clearly had the utmost confidence in his trend. His swag. A narrative that all the time caught with me was him taking fines to put on matches. That’s all the time one thing that stood out to me. He all the time made positive he did it his approach, and he went out swinging.
SLAM: You talked about there’s nonetheless much more to perform. What does that record of targets seem like?
SGA: My greatest factor is, I simply need to win a championship. That’s why you play the sport. After I was in ninth grade and tried out for the crew, I needed to win a metropolis championship. I all the time simply need to win—on the largest and highest stage of basketball on this planet. That’s my fundamental and solely focus. All I actually care about. If I get that someday, I’ll be all proper.
SLAM: You have been minimize out of your JV crew in ninth grade; how a lot did that influence the best way you went about pursuing basketball?
SGA: I used it as motivation. I by no means sulked or was down dangerous about it or was in my emotions about it. I simply took it as, I wasn’t adequate. I believed I used to be adequate; clearly I wasn’t. I needed to ensure that I by no means had that feeling once more. And I believe I did a fairly good job at that.
