Timberwolves Coach Sounds Sick Of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Drawing Fouls

Most NBA fans are caught up on OKC Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's strategy of baiting defenders into fouling so he can shoot free throws.

Shai has garnered a reputation as a "free throw merchant."

HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 21: Head coach Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves leaves the court after a game against the Houston Rockets  at Toyota Center on February 21, 2025 in Houston, Texas.  (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Oklahoma City Thunder PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes a layup on the Mavericks during Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Western Conference Semifinals at American Airlines Center in Dallas. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

Frustrations over his style of play call out the incessant baiting for fouls, which is turning some contests into a barrage of free throw shooting.

Even Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch is familiar with the sneaky strategy Gilgeous-Alexander implements, which also falls on the lap of NBA officials.

On Monday, after Minnesota's overtime win against the Thunder, Finch highlighted the difficulty of trying to defend a player like Shai, who deliberately throws himself into defenders to get free-throw calls or pantomimes a motion that convinces refs to call a foul.

Honestly, Finch sounds sick of it.

"It's so frustrating to play this team because they foul a ton," Finch said following the T-Wolves' 131-128 overtime win. "They really do. They foul all the time. And then you can't really touch Shai. And it's a very frustrating thing."

It's no surprise that Gilgeous-Alexander is second in the league in free throw attempts, second only to Milwaukee Bucks big man Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the league's premier scorer, averaging 32.4 points per contest. SGA was integral to the Thunder's first-place finish in the West last year and their 46-11 record post-All-Star break.

Criticisms over his game continue to weigh down the All-Star's legacy as fans debate whether Shai is an elite scorer or simply elite at drawing fouls.

Recently, a discussion regarding whether or not to ban the Philadelphia Eagles' "Tush Push" has started debates to determine whether the play's effectiveness is predicated on good strategy.

Similarly, NBA fans are debating whether SGA's "luck of the draw" is a good skill on behalf of the guard or just convincing optics for refs.  

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