Very few players in the NBA have the rare talent that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has: the ability to convince the game officials. Free throws don’t come easily, unless you know how to tilt the game towards yourself. Everyone called James Harden a free-throw merchant because he could do it. Now SGA holds the title, and (maybe) proudly so. And this is where the Golden State Warriors‘ head coach, Steve Kerr, has a problem.

On Saturday, the Oklahoma City Thunder outperformed the Warriors 104-97. However, that wasn’t the highlight of the night. SGA’s 15 free throws took center stage. Coach Kerr addressed the matter before the media during the post-game press conference.

“He’s incredibly clever. He knows exactly how to draw contact. It’s all within the rules. I don’t have a problem with Shai. I have a problem with the rules,” the veteran head coach said with a moment’s hesitation. Now, the trick here is that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t violating any of the free-throw rules.

The 27-year-old sits at the center of the familiar NBA debate. Critics fixate on how he piles up trips to the stripe. In some playoff games, he has cleared 14 free throw attempts, a massive number for a guard. The complaints revolve around pump fakes, twitchy drives, and subtle contact, in which he often initiates the motion. Because of that rhythm, analysts tag the style as free-throw merchant basketball.

Now, in Saturday’s game, Gilgeous-Alexander made just 6 of 15 field goals. However, he made 14 of 15 free throws, helping him maintain his usual production. Interestingly enough, since SGA’s return from injury, the Oklahoma City Thunder has gon 5-0.

Well, Steve Kerr isn’t the only head coach who has an issue with the NBA’s free-throw rules that facilitate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The New York Knicks‘ head coach, Mike Brown, too, had similar complaints after the Knicks lost 100-103 to OKC on Thursday.

Mike Brown called out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Head coach Mike Brown voiced frustration after a tight 103 to 100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. However, his main gripe centered on Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Brown pointed to SGA’s repeated trips to the free-throw line and suggested several whistles felt generous, according to ESPN.

“SGA, he’s a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees — probably better than anybody in the league — that he’s getting hit,” Brown said. Gilgeous-Alexander controlled the night with calm precision. He earned a game-high seven free throws and converted all seven, finishing with 26 points to push the Thunder to victory.

Free throws have become the loudest subplot in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise. Everyone argues every whistle. Yet the reality stays simple. He bends the rules without breaking them.

Meanwhile, Steve Kerr and Mike Brown keep questioning the system. Until that system changes, SGA will keep seemingly turning contact into points.