Undeniable truth about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's foul baiting NBA refuses to admit

In recent weeks, OklahomaCityThunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has faced increasing accusations of foul-baiting from opponents and coaches following losses, with the criticism focusing heavily on his high free-throw attempts.

However, a key factor behind his effectiveness in drawing fouls is often overlooked: defenders must first respect his scoring ability. Former NBA guard Lou Williams defended Gilgeous-Alexander on the "Run It Back" podcast, emphasizing that foul-baiting only works if a player is a genuine scoring threat, forcing defenders to overcommit to his moves.

Gilgeous-Alexander has established himself as one of the NBA's purest scorers over the past two seasons. He led the league in scoring last year, even when excluding free throws, and continues to rank highly this season in points per game without free throws, alongside a historically high true shooting percentage for his volume.

His elite free-throw numbers are not unusual among top scorers. Data shows that over the past five years, 84% of players in the top five for free-throw attempts average over 24 points per game. His 9.1 free throws per game align with rates seen in legends like LeBronJames in his early Cleveland years and Michael Jordan, who averaged as high as 11.9 free throws per game in 1987.