During an episode of Tidal’s “Run Your Race” podcast, Smart, a Memphis Grizzlies star, was asked who had a deeper offensive skill set between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic. Surprisingly, Smart chose Gilgeous-Alexander over Doncic.

“Shai is tough,” Smart said. “I remember playing Shai in Boston last year, and I’m like, ‘damn, you really like that?’ He was like, ‘yeah.’ You know how he talks. ‘I just be chilling, bro.’ This year you see him, he ain’t chilling no more. He really ain’t chilling next year. I’m gonna give it to Shai on this one.”

Who has a deeper bag? Luka Doncic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander… What does Marcus Smart think? 👀 pic.twitter.com/pMb9eKZoCI

— Tidal League (@TidalLeague) June 26, 2024

Last season, Luka Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds on 49/38/79 shooting from the field. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds on 54/35/87 shooting from the field. While Doncic generally excels in more areas, Shai is particularly adept at getting past defenders and reaching the rim. This specific skill set leads Smart to favor Shai in this comparison.

While it is challenging to definitively determine who is the better offensive player between Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, it is clear that both are among the top offensive talents in the NBA today.