The LA Clippers weren’t projected to appear in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, having traded their pick to Memphis in 2016. The team eventually ended up moving into the first round to select Mfiondu Kabengele, but a certain Clipper showed up much earlier — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The LA rookie is the first cousin of Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and the two grew up more like brothers since they’re only three months apart and grew up about 40 miles away from one another. They even lived together in the same room for two years at their high school coach’s house before Shai went off to Kentucky and Nickeil played at Virginia Tech.