'Free-throw merchant': Target Center crowd serenades Thunder's SGA

The Oklahoma City star was held relatively quiet by the Wolves Thursday night.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prepares to play the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis on Feb. 13, 2025. / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Whenever Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander stepped to the free-throw line against the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday, the sold-out Target Center crowd in Minneapolis would serenade him with some friendly banter.

"Free-throw merchant," the crowd yelled as he took shots from the line in the second quarter.

Target Center crowd chants “free throw merchant” at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the FT line pic.twitter.com/uRxuM0QL7W

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) February 14, 2025

Gilgeous-Alexander, who leads the NBA in scoring at 32.5 points per game, was held relatively in check by the Wolves, particularly by Jaylen Clark, who made his first career start in place of an injured Rudy Gobert. Gilgeous-Alexander did finish with 24 points, but shot just 6 for 21 from the field and 11 of his points came from the free-throw line.

Jaylen Clark held SGA to 1 of 7 shooting in 3:41 minutes defending him. Shai was 4 of 4 from the line in that time, but Clark did as good a job as you can against one of the most unstoppable players in the league.

He was the 53rd overall pick, btw. https://t.co/DbRWhdRS1m pic.twitter.com/N2lp34iEC1

— Charlie Walton (@CharlieWaltonMN) February 14, 2025

Perhaps the chant was fitting, at least on Thusday night.