SWERVE ON EM
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, in a quiet gym after a long day of training, NBA rookies were at the free-throw line engaging in a shooting contest. It was a low-stakes game, $20 going to whichever young millionaire swished the most shots. A paltry payout didn’t impact Los Angeles Clippers point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s desire to win. As another rookie took his place at the line, threatening to upset Gilgeous-Alexander’s path to victory, the Toronto native pulled out all the stops to make his opponent crack. There was chirping and trash-talking, even kisses blown in an effort to break concentration. Gilgeous-Alexander did what was necessary to come away on top.
“You put someone in front of him and there’s a competition, he’s a different [person],” says Olin Simplis, his trainer. “Something just switches inside of him. That’s the thing that has stood out the most for me. People
