Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's dad says his son will probably never play for Raptors

Toronto Raptors fans have dreamed of Canadian basketball star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander one day hooping for his hometown team, but it'll likely forever be a fantasy.

Gilgeous-Alexander's dad, Vaughan Alexander, said he doesn't think his son will ever leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for Toronto.

Alexander appeared on the No Flukes podcast alongside Tyrone Maxey, the father of Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, where he was asked if his son enjoys playing in Oklahoma City or if he could eventually see him moving to a bigger market.

"He loves it because all he wants to do is hoop. As opposed to being somewhere where there's nightlife, or in Toronto, where everybody's going to be on his ass saying, 'Give me this, give me that,'" Alexander said.

"OKC is a perfect fit."

SGA’s dad says he’ll never leave OKC for Toronto because family would always be asking him for tickets, and he doesn’t see him leaving for a big market with nightlife distractions.

“Shai is perfect where he is in OKC, and I don’t think he will ever leave.”

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He doubled down on what he said a few minutes later.

"I don't think Shai will ever leave unless something happens. What ain't broke, don't fix it."

Alexander's comments seem to imply that he thinks there are distractions for his son in Toronto that could potentially stop him from performing at an MVP level.

Gilgeous-Alexander is also knee deep in one of the NBA's biggest contracts right now.

Following Oklahoma City's 2024-25 NBA Championship, the reigning NBA MVP signed a $271 million supermax extension with the Thunder, extending him until the end of the 2030-31 season.

Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pulls up for a mid-range jumper over Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick at Scotiabank Arena. (John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images)

To his dad's credit, the Hamilton, Ont., native also continues to thrive in his current setup. He's coming off another record-setting season, becoming the first Canadian player in NBA history to win multiple MVP awards — and the first to do it in consecutive years.

If Gilgeous-Alexander ever wanted out of OKC, the earliest he could sign with Toronto, or any other team, wouldn't be until the end of the 2029-30 season. He has a player option after the third year of his extension.

So Raptors fans can technically still dream, even if the hopes appear to be dead after what his father said.