Jared McCain says Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped him settle into the Oklahoma City Thunder after injuries reshaped the playoffs, including a New York shopping trip that McCain described as a “little” gesture with big meaning.
Oklahoma City walked into the Western Conference Finals imagining one more shot at the NBA Finals—and another chance to defend what they’d built. Instead, San Antonio closed Game 7 with a 111-103 win, ending the Thunder’s run and leaving no repeat champion to be crowned.
The loss was sharper for Oklahoma City because the moment demands firepower, not just belief. Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell both went down with injuries when it mattered most. and the Thunder had to reshape their lineup on the fly. In that disruption, Jared McCain was thrust into a bigger role than his timeline probably suggested—and he responded.
McCain. who had to take some time to integrate himself into the Thunder’s squad. has since turned into an invaluable and beloved piece of the team. The playoffs made that growth visible. In the Western Conference Finals against the Spurs. he averaged 13.1 points per game and earned a promotion to the starting lineup for Games 5 and 6.
But the story of how McCain found his footing with Oklahoma City isn’t only about box scores. He’s also opened up about an off-court moment involving the Thunder’s leading figure. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. who has been described as the team’s “undisputed best player.” Gilgeous-Alexander wanted McCain to feel comfortable from the start and looked after him by taking him shopping on a trip to New York.
“Little things like that mean so much to a young player,” McCain said, per Brandon Rahbar of Daily Thunder.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s taste is part of his reputation—he’s noted as being one of the best dressed players in the NBA—and McCain has never tried to tone down his own personality. He’s known for showing his flair through TikTok videos and for the color of his nail polish. which makes the idea of him blending into the Thunder locker room feel almost inevitable in hindsight.
There was a quiet logic to what happened after that first awkward adjustment period. McCain paid the trust off with performances when Oklahoma City needed them most, even as injuries stripped the roster of key options and San Antonio carried the series to its decisive Game 7.
Now, with McCain at just 22 years old, the Thunder are not just looking at what happened in those playoffs. They’re also looking forward—toward a rotation where McCain is expected to be integral moving forward after averaging 13.1 points per game in the Western Conference Finals and stepping into the starting lineup for Games 5 and 6.
In the end, the Spurs’ 111-103 victory over Oklahoma City closed the chapter on a title defense. But McCain’s New York shopping trip story—and what it seems to have sparked—keeps a different thread alive inside the Thunder’s season: the sense that the team didn’t simply find a player to fill minutes. It made sure a young one felt ready to take them.
Jared McCain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Western Conference Finals Game 7 Jalen Williams Ajay Mitchell
Shopping trip to New York?? That’s what makes a player great now lol
I mean the Thunder lost Game 7 so obviously the “little gesture” didn’t help enough. Injuries or whatever, but come on.
Wait so McCain was injured too? I thought he was already on the roster the whole time. Also “promotion to starting” sounds like he was benched for a while which… idk, that’s kind of a big jump.
As a Spurs fan I’ll say it: New York shopping trip or not, OKC choked. And these articles always make it sound wholesome like it changes everything, but basketball is basketball.