Anthony Edwards vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: Who is the better franchise cornerstone?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

At 25, Gilgeous-Alexander led the youngest team in NBA history to a No. 1 seed in the stacked Western Conference, shattering expectations for the Thunder’s timeline toward championship contender status. Finishing second in MVP voting, he proved himself as a relentless, no-nonsense grinder. There’s no showboating — no yapping, dancing or flexing — just cool precision. Some might call Gilgeous-Alexander a class act.

Defensively, he’s more of a disruptor than a pure lockdown guard — a swipe artist who wreaks havoc in the halfcourt by jumping passing lanes. At least once a game, he’ll steal the ball, sprint down the court by himself for an easy score, all the time looking as bored as a student sitting through high school algebra. His IQ, instincts and length give him an edge over nearly every other wing in the NBA.

Offensively, he’s relentless, guided by one simple rule: attack, attack, attack. Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in drives to the rim for the last three years — and it hasn’t even been close. Everyone in the building knows what’s coming, yet he remains an unstoppable force. Sag off to protect the paint, and he’ll drain a midrange jumper. Crowd him on the perimeter, and he’ll blow past you in an instant, collapsing the entire defense.

Who is the better franchise cornerstone?

Superstars are defined by their playoff performances and, last year, both Edwards and Gilgeous-Alexander delivered in the NBA’s second season. Gilgeous-Alexander posted 30.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 6.4 APG while shooting an impressive 41.7 percent from beyond the arc and 49.6 percent overall. Edwards, on the other hand, averaged 27.6 PPG over 16 postseason games, adding 7.0 RPG and 6.5 APG with a 40.0 percent mark from deep and a 48.1 percent clip from the field. Offensively, both players were sensational, splashing across all three levels of the court while sprinkling in solid playmaking.

On the less glamorous end, Gilgeous-Alexander ranked fifth in the postseason in deflections (3.3 per game), continuing to be a disruptive force on the perimeter. Edwards held his matchups to a very stingy 41.4 percent shooting, anchoring the Timberwolves’ wing defense as they stymied two offensive powerhouses — the Suns and Nuggets — before ultimately falling to Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.

Both players are exceptional, and any franchise would be fortunate to build around either of them. However, while Edwards can occasionally take his foot off the pedal, settling for low-percentage step-back jumpers, Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t take bad shots. He constantly attacks the rim, generating easy opportunities for himself or finding open teammates for quality looks. Coupled with his humble, no-nonsense leadership, Gilgeous-Alexander edges out Edwards as the better franchise cornerstone by the narrowest of margins.