Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Dad Calls Out Haters Who Label His Son A 'Free Throw Merchant'

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had a phenomenal 2024-25 season, but he has come under fire for one specific reason. Many view Gilgeous-Alexander as a foul baiter, and he has been showered with 'free throw merchant' chants during games as well. Gilgeous-Alexander's father, Vaughn Alexander, was asked about those labels on Gil's Arena, and he fired some shots at the haters.

“If you ain’t doing nothing, nobody ain’t talking about you, right?” Alexander said. “You’re gonna have no haters when you do nothing, you can do nothing proper, right? So, at the end of the day, I just look at it, a lot of it, it’s like, hatorade stuff because at the end of the day, drawing fouls is a part of the game, it’s actually a skill.

“You go back to as I said, [Allen] Iverson and Kobe [Bryant] and the guys that do it, you’re trying to draw a foul, yes, but that doesn't make you [a foul baiter]," Alexander stated. "Why wouldn't I want to try to draw a foul when I beat you and you can’t recover and stay in front of me? It’s a foul, motherf*****.

“They say you can’t touch him," Alexander continued. "Well, guess what, you’re not supposed to touch people in basketball. I'm not saying you can't breathe on him. I get it, but if you're touching me, bro, maybe [you] might be fouling me, bro. It might be a foul."

Alexander believes the fouls that Gilgeous-Alexander gets are legitimate. He also added that the best players tend to get that tag, pointing to when Magic Johnson famously said, "You can't get too close to Michael [Jordan] or it's a foul." Alexander then explained why his son tends to get a lot of calls.

“He’s changing pace, he’s not trying to blow by you with his speed and strength," Alexander added. "He's not going to dunk... His first step is what his thing is. He’s not gonna run a 50-yard dash as the fastest guy… He’ll lull you to sleep, change pace, change directions, and that’s gonna lead to fouls sometimes.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 9.0 free-throw attempts per game this season, which ranks second only to Giannis Antetokounmpo (10.5). The 26-year-old does get some questionable calls during games, but that shouldn't take anything away from the fact that he's been incredible on the court this season for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Isn't Bothered About Being Called A 'Free Throw Merchant'

While Vaughn Alexander had a strong response to that label given to his son, the man himself doesn't care too much about it. Gilgeous-Alexander isn't bothered about being called a 'free throw merchant.'

"None at all. In the past couple of years, I led the NBA in drives. So I think naturally, I'm going to get fouled on drives. Usually, you get fouled on drives more than jump shots. I think that's just a natural part of the game."

"And then I learned a few tricks through the trade along my way. I've turned it into a skill a little bit. As far as what people say, I don't really care. As long as it's efficient offense and my team wins, I'll get it done."

Gilgeous-Alexander has certainly been getting the job done this season. The three-time All-Star is averaging 32.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game in 2024-25 and has led the Thunder to a 62-12 record.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite to win MVP as of now and will look to further strengthen his case when the Thunder take on the Chicago Bulls at Paycom Center on Monday at 8 PM ET.