Shai Gilgeous-Alexander out for Thunder vs. Timberwolves with Hip Injury

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will miss Sunday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a hip contusion, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

The 24-year-old is a budding superstar. He averaged 24.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game last year for a rebuilding Thunder team with a bright future thanks to young talents such as himself, Josh Giddey and Chet Holmgren.

Unfortunately, though, injuries have kept the former Kentucky star off the court for large swaths of time over the past two years.

Gilgeous-Alexander, 24, was held to 35 games in 2020-21, and his season ended after suffering a tear in his plantar fascia. Last year, an ankle injury ended his campaign after 56 games.

The five-year NBA veteran was sidelined again this offseason. The Thunder announced on Sept. 21 that he suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and would miss the beginning of training camp. He was healthy enough to play in the first two games of the season, scoring 32 points against Minnesota in the season opener and 28 against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

Without Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder backcourt rotation consists of Giddey, Tre Mann, Theo Maledon and Jalen Williams.

Giddey figures to handle much of the ball-handling and scoring burden, but he could be up to the task after averaging 12.5 points and 6.4 assists last year.