Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the face of the Thunder after leading Oklahoma City to last season’s NBA title, the franchise’s first since relocating and second overall. His MVP-caliber performances established him as one of the NBA’s elite young stars. Even so, a familiar criticism remains, with some feeling his ability to draw fouls draws more attention than the full scope of his talent.

But foul-baiting is actually a skill. Shai understands the NBA rules better than anyone at present and uses those to get favorable calls. He isn’t the only one doing it, but SGA is certainly the most successful. So, recently, LeBron James also discussed the same on the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast with Steve Nash, where he called SGA ‘Mastermind the Rulebook’, praising his foul-baiting skills.

“It is what the rules is, and he has figured out a way to mastermind the rulebook, that’s not a problem, it’s not a crime. It’s not the player’s fault on being able to master the rulebook,” LeBron said.

The Akron Hammer understands the frustration of the fans, as he himself at times gets irked in the moment. But he wants people to understand that a free throw is excellent for rhythm, as it allows the scorer to get an easy basket. LeBron James also names certain players like James Harden, Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson, and Tyrese Maxey, who are also good at drawing fouls other than SGA.

To put things into context, SGA sank 601 free throws last season, the most by any player. He was almost a hundred free throws more than the second-placed James Harden (505). He is leading the charts this season as well, by sinking 232 free throws, averaging 8.3 free throws per game.

Charles Barkley compares Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to LeBron James

In Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise to prominence, he has been compared with several legends, including LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, but according to NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, SGA is closest to LeBron than the other two.

A couple of months ago, Barkley appeared on the Bill Simmons podcast, where he explained that SGA is not a ‘killer’ like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, who had the power of silencing defenses with their audacious plays. Therefore, he believes that SGA has more similarities with LeBron than the other two.

“The one thing about OKC, even though I think Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] is a great, great player. To me, he’s more like LeBron. He’s a really nice guy. He’s not out there trying to kill you,” Barkley opined.

Top Stories

Trae Young Keeps Everyone in the Dark Over Expiring Contract Situation After Trade to Wizards

Fans Fear for Trae Young’s NBA Future as Hawks Take Fire Over Poor Trade Return

Kyrie Irving Breaks Silence After Injury Return Update Emerges

Paige Bueckers Offers Reality Check on Unrivaled vs. WNBA Amid CBA Uncertainty

Why Is LeBron James Not Playing Tonight? JJ Redick Takes Major Decision Before Lakers-Spurs

Interestingly, he joined an exclusive club by winning the NBA Championship with the OKC Thunder last season. SGA became the 11th player to win the MVP, Finals MVP, and NBA Championship in the same year. It was easily one of the most remarkable individual seasons in NBA history.

He has continued in the same rhythm this season as the OKC Thunder are at the top of the Western Conference with a tremendous 26-3 record. SGA is pushing for another MVP award as he is averaging 32.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game with a solid 55.4% shooting from the field.