Trae Young isn’t buying the usual knock on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Around the league, the Thunder star’s free throw rate has turned into one of the loudest talking points attached to his game. Some critics say defenders barely get a chance to touch him.
Others, including LeBron James, have suggested that stripping away that part of his offense is the way to slow him down. That conversation has helped fuel the label of Gilgeous-Alexander as the NBA’s newest “free throw merchant.”
Young sees it differently.
On a recent appearance on the Curious Mike podcast, the Wizards guard talked about a play from last season when Gilgeous-Alexander drew a shooting foul on him in what Young described as a “flop” fashion. But rather than treat it like a cheap shot or a reason to gripe, Young framed it as proof that Gilgeous-Alexander understands the game at a high level. He finished the thought by saying, “the best players in the world shoot the most free throws.”
That view lines up with the way Young and Brooklyn Nets forward and Curious Mike host Michael Porter Jr. talked about foul-drawing as a skill worth respecting. And if there’s one player who has made that craft look elite, it’s Gilgeous-Alexander.
The numbers back up the reputation. Over each of the last four seasons, he has finished in the top five in free throw attempts per game. He got as high as third in both 2022-23 and 2024-25, and he was fourth last season at 9.0 per game.
Getting to the line is only part of the job, though. The real edge comes from converting those chances, and Gilgeous-Alexander has been relentless there too. Since 2022, he has made more total foul shots than anyone else in the NBA, and in 2025-26 he has knocked down 540 of 614 attempts, good for 87.9 percent.
For Young and Porter, that kind of efficiency is part of what helps players “win games” for their teams. And with Gilgeous-Alexander doing it at such a high level, it helps explain why the Thunder have finished with the top record in the Western Conference and won the Larry O'Brien Trophy over the last three seasons.
In Other News...
Trae Young Finally Opened Up About His Hawks Exit
Trae Youngs move out of Atlanta had already been one of the leagues more notable offseason storylines, but his latest comments added a little more texture to how he got there. On a podcast, the former face of the Hawks talked about wanting his exit to stay clean and professional, a reflection of how much the relationship between star players, front offices and fan bases can shape the endgame when a franchise starts to shift around its centerpiece.
Youngs explanation also hinted at a broader concern that goes beyond one trade: the risk of leaving a city in a way that turns admiration into resentment. He pointed to the changing structure around the Hawks and said he wanted to avoid the kind of hard feelings that can follow a star departure, while also sounding upbeat about his health and his chances to deliver for Washington this season. [Read more 🡒]
Cason Wallace Could Create A Thunder Problem Fans Wont Ignore
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For a team built around long-term flexibility, Wallaces next contract could turn into exactly the kind of decision Oklahoma City has tried to avoid. If his role keeps expanding, the Thunder may eventually have to choose between paying him at a level his play demands or making painful roster moves to stay compliant with the leagues spending rules. It is the kind of cap headache contenders hope to delay, but in Oklahoma Citys case, it is arriving sooner than most fans would like. [Read more 🡒]
Thunder Fans May Soon Be Debating One Backcourt Role Hardest
Jared McCain arrives for his first full season with Oklahoma City as one of the more intriguing pieces in a backcourt already crowded with established names. The Thunder have plenty of ball-handling and perimeter defense to sort through with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Ajay Mitchell all in the mix, which makes every rotation spot feel like it will have to be earned the hard way.
McCain at least gave the staff something to think about in last seasons playoffs, when he showed flashes as a three-point threat and handled a larger role than many expected. The question now is how much room there is for him to carve out a consistent place in a group this deep, and that is the kind of debate that can follow a team all season if the early minutes do not settle quickly. [Read more 🡒]