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Thunder Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Was as Quick as His Mercedes-AMG Against the Rockets

Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63 7 photos
Photo: Instagram / Shai
Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63Shai's Mercedes-AMG G 63
Cars nowadays have become so much more than that simple means of transportation that they used to be. They can send a message about status, wealth, and even highlight the owner's personality. Or they are simply perfect as an accessory or an inspiration.
NBA star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander used his car as a way to turn heads when he arrived at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s last game.

Facing a team with the name “Houston Rockets” meant that he had to put his speed to the test. And the Mercedes-AMG G 63 is perfect for that. Shai took inspiration from his ride there and rocketed to a total of 42 points at the end of the game, leading the Thunder to a 153 to 121 win.

If you think this off-roader of his is just a heavy vehicle once it sets wheels on the tarmac, well, think again. It can hit 62 mph (100 kph) from zero in just 4.5 seconds and can go all the way to a top speed of 137 mph (220 kph). And that's courtesy of that almighty 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that operates under the hood.

Mated to a nine-speed G-TRONIC automatic gearbox, the power mill delivers 577 horsepower (585 ps) and a torque of 627 lb-ft (850 Nm) to both axles. Add to that that the G-Wagen is capable of handling any type of terrain, and we can see why Shai's ride might’ve been quite an inspiration for his performance.

His G-Wagen comes with a matte brown exterior, with black accents and red AMG brake calipers. Shai has previously described the off-roader as "Metallic Brown," however, we don’t see the “metallic” part of it, so we’ll take his words with a grain of salt. Meanwhile, the cabin features black upholstery and red accents.

So far, the Mercedes-AMG G 63 seems to be his go-to ride whenever he arrives at the games. And we can’t blame him. The G-Wagen is one of Mercedes-Benz's most popular models and celebrities agree with it. Athletes love how fast and feisty it is, including the likes of P.J. Tucker, Jordan Clarkson, Mike Bibby, Will Barton, Zion Williamson, and more.

However, if he feels like leaving his Mercedes-AMG G 63 in the garage, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has another powerful and mighty quick vehicle – a Lamborghini Urus. The super-SUV is also a popular choice among celebrities and athletes, and the NBA star decided to have both of them match, as he got his Urus in the same matte brown exterior, as you can check out in our gallery.

Besides these Lambo and the G-Wagen, the 24-year-old Canadian-born athlete, who got his license at 21, also has a black Mercedes-AMG GT and a green Lamborghini Huracan, which leads us to think Mercedes-Benz and Lamborghini are his favorite brands so far.

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About the author: Monica Coman
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Imagine a Wenn diagram for cars and celebrities. At the intersection you'll find Monica, putting her passion for these fields and English-Spanish double major to work. She's been doing for the past seven years, most recently at autoevolution.
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