On the surface, the personalities of Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his counterpart, the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton, may be dissimilar, yet they have much in common in uplifting their respective teams to the NBA Finals.

Both are part of Generation Z (Gen Z). Their ages are separated by 18 months. The older star, Gilgeous-Alexander, often referred to by the acronym SGA, is 26 and will turn 27 in July. He is native of the Canadian province Hamilton located in Ontario, just outside of Toronto and played his final years of high school basketball at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is thoughtful, speaks in a measured manner and presents as a wise soul.

The 25-year-old Haliburton, raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, gregarious, br

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