SLAM: You’re at the moment the frontrunner to win MVP this season—in accordance with Vegas odds, in accordance with the media, and so forth. 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 palms, a few of it’s exhausting work. A whole lot of stars should align and issues have for me, and I’m tremendous blessed for that. The sensation is superb. Clearly, nothing is gained in January, clearly. However to be taking part in on the degree that I’m, to be acknowledged, to my staff profitable—issues are clearly entering into the best 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 best path, for certain.
SLAM: Anthony Edwards made a remark lately that you simply had been the clear-cut MVP this season and may’ve been the MVP final season. What’s it like having different star gamers offer you that kind of reward?
SGA: Your friends do it at a excessive degree. 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 similar degree and perceive what it takes. So it’s an excellent feeling.
SLAM: Do you agree together with his assertion that it’s best to’ve gained final yr?
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 yr my all, tried to be one of the best model of myself. And I suppose that wasn’t sufficient. So, my mindset within the summertime was to attempt to be sure that this yr it was sufficient.
SLAM: There are individuals on-line who evaluate you to Allen Iverson. Have you ever seen these comparisons?
SGA: I haven’t heard these, however I attempt to not get into social media and scouring via social media whereas I’m going via the season. However that’s a tremendous feeling as effectively. Allen Iverson was, like, my favourite basketball participant rising up—the explanation why I had braids as a child, wore a scarf, the explanation why I began taking part in basketball. So, it’s a cool feeling. The issues he’s performed 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 examine his recreation if you had 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, unhealthy shot. He made 4 in a row, 5 in a row. He all the time performed the identical approach. Performed exhausting. 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 certain he did it his approach, and he went out swinging.
SLAM: You talked about there’s nonetheless much more to perform. What does that checklist 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 staff, 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 major and solely focus. All I actually care about. If I get that someday, I’ll be all proper.
SLAM: You had been lower out of your JV staff in ninth grade; how a lot did that influence the way in which you went about pursuing basketball?
SGA: I used it as motivation. I by no means sulked or was down unhealthy about it or was in my emotions about it. I simply took it as, I wasn’t ok. I believed I used to be ok; clearly I wasn’t. I needed to be sure that I by no means had that feeling once more. And I believe I did a fairly good job at that.