SLAM: You’re at present the frontrunner to win MVP this season—in line with Vegas odds, in line with the media, and so forth. How a lot do you take note of stuff like that, and the way huge of a aim 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 fingers, a few of it’s laborious work. Loads of stars need to 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 enjoying on the stage that I’m, to be acknowledged, to my group successful—issues are clearly getting in the best course. 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 just lately that you just have been the clear-cut MVP this season and will’ve been the MVP final season. What’s it like having different star gamers provide you with that sort of reward?
SGA: Your friends do it at a excessive stage. They perceive the grind it takes, perceive the everyday. No one 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 stage and perceive what it takes. So it’s feeling.
SLAM: Do you agree along with his assertion that you must’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 provide 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 guarantee that this 12 months it was sufficient.
SLAM: There are folks on-line who examine 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 way of social media whereas I’m going by way of the season. However that’s an incredible feeling as nicely. 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 enjoying basketball. So, it’s a cool feeling. The issues he’s performed for the sport, for the tradition—on and off the courtroom—are second to none. In order that’s fairly cool.
SLAM: Did you examine his recreation whenever 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 courtroom, he performed the identical manner. 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 manner. Performed laborious. And off the courtroom, he clearly had the utmost confidence in his vogue. His swag. A narrative that all the time caught with me was him taking fines to put on suits. That’s all the time one thing that stood out to me. He all the time made certain he did it his manner, and he went out swinging.
SLAM: You talked about there’s nonetheless much more to perform. What does that listing of targets appear to be?
SGA: My greatest factor is, I simply wish to win a championship. That’s why you play the sport. Once I was in ninth grade and tried out for the group, I needed to win a metropolis championship. I all the time simply wish to win—on the most important and highest stage of basketball on this planet. That’s my most important and solely focus. All I actually care about. If I get that at some point, I’ll be all proper.
SLAM: You have been minimize out of your JV group 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 guarantee that I by no means had that feeling once more. And I believe I did a reasonably good job at that.
