NBA coach salutes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for outwitting opposition with free throw drawing tactics: "Playing chess"

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished the regular season averaging 32.7 points per game as he led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the best record in the NBA. The league's newest MVP has become one of the best players in the league in drawing fouls, too. His prowess in that part of the game even has opposing coaches appreciating his approach to the offensive side of the floor.

Gilgeous-Alexander has blossomed into one of the league's brightest stars since arriving in Oklahoma City back in 2019. After one season with Chris Paul, the 26-year-old guard emerged as the team's leader. His skill on the court, combined with the respect he receives from his teammates, is a big reason why the Thunder are in the NBA Finals.

The 2025 MVP's game is not the flashiest in the NBA, but it is one of the most efficient. Drawing fouls has become a big weapon for Gilgeous-Alexander, who shot almost nine free throws per game in the regular season and upped that number in the playoffs.

One Eastern Conference assistant coach spoke to Sportskeeda's Mark Medina before Game 1 of the NBA Finals about the star's offensive skills. To him, Gilgeous-Alexander's skill at drawing fouls shows that he is playing the game at a more complex level than his opponents.

“That is a skill. That takes high-level skill," the assistant coach said. "You have to play the game at a slow pace in your mind. You have to be so under control. You have to be playing chess. Most of these guys are playing checkers out there.

"They just can’t process the game like that. It’s more mental than physical. Shai is highly, highly skilled and highly smart. He’s reading the game. I don’t think it’s a negative. I think it’s an unbelievable talent.”

The Thunder will play through the MVP once again in the NBA Finals, but they have their work cut out for them facing an Indiana Pacers squad that dominated on their way through the Eastern Conference.

The NBA Finals could be decided at the free-throw line by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

In the regular season, the Thunder averaged almost 20 fouls per game, with the Pacers averaging nearly 19 per contest. In the playoffs, though, Oklahoma City commit around 21 fouls each game. Indiana, on the other hand, leads all teams in the postseason with more than 23 fouls each game.

If Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle cannot get his players to play defense without fouling, it could spell doom for his team. Gilgeous-Alexander shot at least 11 free throws in both regular-season meetings against Indiana. He could look to take advantage of Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith's aggression to put them into early foul trouble.

The Pacers want to keep Gilgeous-Alexander off the free-throw line as much as possible in the NBA Finals. However, they will have to play disciplined defense to stop the MVP from doing something he has mastered over the last few seasons.

Carlisle's defense will have to play chess against the Thunder's star to pull off the upset against him.