OKC Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander And Luguentz Dort Think the NBA Needs To Put A Team in Montreal

Is it time for the NBA to add another team north of the border? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder certainly thinks so.

Gilgeous-Alexander — who hails from Canada — was in the Great White North for the Thunder's Thursday preseason matchup against the Detroit Pistons, which they won 128-125.

After the game, the point guard out of Kentucky talked about why he thinks it's time for Montreal to become an NBA city.

Better yet, he did it while wearing a Canadiens sweater.

"It was almost like it was a real NBA game. Not almost, it definitely felt like it was a real NBA game," the Ontario native said. "The NBA should put a team here."

Normally, when NBA expansion pops up two cities seem to be favored. Those are Las Vegas (which seems like a no-brainer) and then a return to Seattle.

Montreal doesn't always come up, but if the league wanted to keep the conferences even, why not throw a team in Vegas or Seattle and then another in Montreal?

Canadian-born Oklahoma City Thunder players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort would like to see the NBA add a team in Montreal. (Getty Images)

The Thunder Were Impressed By The Fans In Montreal

OKC head coach Mark Daigneaul liked the atmosphere the team was met with in Montreal. However, he said he's not so sure it would be as pleasant to be a road team in the building.

"We loved it up here, although we liked when they (were cheering) for us," he said. "I don't know if we want to play a road game here, this will be our secondary deal."

Another Canadian on the Thunder roster — Montreal native Luguentz Dort — echoed this.

“Basketball has gotten so big here, and the fact there are so many fans that came out, I hope it happens one day," Dort said. "It will definitely be hard to play here because we’ve got good fans here, but I hope it happens.”

Who knows if and when Montreal will ever get a team? If they do it sure sounds like the team would have some serious support.

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