Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Shines Light on Book Busby Jimmy Do | okcthunder.com
To remedy the overcast mood, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plucked paperbacks of Captain Underpants and puppy books for 25 third-graders at Eugene Field Elementary on a slick Thursday afternoon.
With more than 3,000 books in tow, the Thunder guard delivered big smiles and a book of their choice for the students inside the Rolling Thunder Book Bus, presented by American Fidelity.
Gilgeous-Alexander's first surprise book bus visit was a success.
"It was a fun experience. I was in a lot of those kids shoes and when guys I looked up to came to town it was always a big deal for me," he said.
Spotting familiar favorites in the shelves with the kids was part of the fun for Gilgeous-Alexander.
"A lot of these books I remember from my childhood. I couldn't remember one specific book, but I loved all the sports books, basketball books, football books and soccer books."
Stirred by nostalgia from scanning the covers, Gilgeous-Alexander brought that same energy to convert a few more bookworms.
Nonetheless, the 21-year-old backcourt dynamo wanted to create some special memories for the girls and boys on board in the name of promoting literacy.
Gilgeous-Alexander: "To give them that feeling back and be on the other end of the table was a good experience."
