Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Among League Leaders in Free Throw Attempts and Percentage
Oklahoma City fans were frustrated last season when then-Spurs guard Dejounte Murray was selected as an All-Star replacement over OKC's lead guard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The former Clipper averaged 24.5 points, 5.9 assists and five rebounds last year for the Thunder, and while the Oklahoma City faithful knew that Gilgeous-Alexander was talented, few envisioned the 11th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft averaging 30.8 points per game the following season. A huge aid to SGA's scoring uptick has been his ability to consistently get to the charity strip.
The Kentucky product is averaging 10 trips to the line per game, good enough for fourth in the NBA behind only Joel Embiid (11.83 attempts per game), Giannis Antetokounmpo 11.82 attempts per game) and Luka Doncic (10.38 attempts per game). Grizzlies star Ja Morant rounds out the top five with nine attempts per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 7.2 free throw attempts per game a season ago, is averaging 9.3 free throws made per contest in 2022-23. His 92.9% free throw percentage ranks second in the league, trailing only Trey Murphy III of New Orleans, who averages two free throw attempts per game.
For comparison, James Harden averaged 10.1 free throw attempts per contest in 2017-18, when the then-Rockets guard won the MVP award. Harden connected on 8.7 free throw attempts per game in his MVP season en route to year-end averages of 30.4 points, 8.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The current Sixers guard averaged 11.8 free throw attempts two seasons later, the most in the NBA by a wide margin. Antetokounmpo averaged 10 free throws per game the same year, good enough for second in the league.
Gilgeous-Alexander's quick, sudden movements and long arms make it difficult for defenders to stop the 6-foot-6 guard from getting to the basket. With his stop-and-start motions, it is easy for defenders to get too handsy when guarding the Thunder star.
If SGA can continue to get to the line so frequently, it is likely that his scoring totals won't be decreasing anytime soon.
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