Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores in just about every way imaginable, but one of his biggest advantages is how consistently he gets to the free-throw line. He knows how to put defenders in bad spots and how to sell just enough contact to get the call. The result is 9.4 attempts per game, second only to Luka Doncic.
It would be unfair to suggest that Shai wouldn’t still be elite without the free throws. Drawing fouls is part of the game, and some stars simply master it better than others. Still, a big chunk of what he does night to night is tied to free throws.
This brand of scoring isn’t new. James Harden mastered it years ago. Now, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, having faced it across multiple eras, sees the solution clearly. Keep Shai off the free-throw line if you want to stop him.
“You got to keep him off the FT line. Which is hard. He knows how to manipulate the game in a good way. He’s always looking for hands, arms, and elbows if you’re in his space, that’s just our game right now. It’s how James Harden was when he was dominant in Houston.”
LeBron says the only way to stop SGA is to keep him off the FT line. Compares it to Houston James Harden 😬
“You got to keep him off the FT line. Which is hard. He knows how to manipulate the game in a good way. He’s always looking for hands, arms, and elbows if you’re in his… pic.twitter.com/d7cro9jkut
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 23, 2025
