Shai Gilgeous-Alexander receives key to the city of Hamilton
HAMILTON: NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proudly declared, “I’m from Hamilton,” after receiving the key to the city from Mayor Andrea Horwath during a public rally at Hamilton Stadium on Thursday.
In addition to the prestigious honor, Hamilton will name a street after Gilgeous-Alexander, celebrating his remarkable season in which he led his team to the NBA title.
Speaking to the crowd, the basketball star reflected on how his hometown has shaped him.
“Growing up, as I traveled across the world — to countless states, cities and countries — people always asked where I was from,” he said. “I took pride in letting everyone know I was from Hamilton.”
He went on to describe the unique character of the city.
“Hamilton is different from every other city in Ontario. Hamiltonians carry a different sense of grit, determination, pride and energy than the rest of the province, and honestly, I couldn’t shy away from that,” Gilgeous-Alexander added.
Sharing his heartfelt gratitude for the recognition bestowed upon him, he said, “I carry that with me every day and everywhere I go so you guys can only imagine how (much) overwhelming joy there was when I found out I was getting a key to the city I love and a street named after me.”