April Fools’ has passed, and yet it seems Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams is still cracking jokes.
In recent years, the NBA landscape has become a battleground of hot takes and amateur opinions, with officiating and foul calls consistently falling under intense scrutiny from both fans and players. One of the more polarizing debates this season has centered around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP campaign and the sheer volume of free throws he attempts.
The Thunder star has been dubbed a “free throw merchant,” averaging 8.8 free throw attempts per game this season — compared with Nikola Jokić’s 5.5 and Stephen Curry’s 4.4. Given those numbers, it’s understandable why some fans are skeptical about whether SGA is truly deserving of this season’s MVP award.
But according to his teammate, the real issue isn’t Gilgeous-Alexander’s volume of free throws — it’s that he’s not getting enough.
What Does Jalen Williams Think About Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Whistle?
Appearing on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast with Tommy Alter, Williams dismissed the “free throw merchant” narratives and made the case that Gilgeous-Alexander is actually under-officiated.
“So you take the foul thing with Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]. He honestly should go to the free-throw line more. He leads the NBA in drives, and we’re like the lowest free-throw shooting team in the NBA,” said Williams.
“I think there are like six or seven people ahead of him that shoot more free throws. But because the media doesn’t like certain ways he gets fouled, that gets pushed. Just watch the games.”
First, just to fact-check Williams — SGA currently ranks second in free throw attempts per game, just behind Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. And when it comes to lowest free throw attempts per team, that title goes to the Boston Celtics, not the Thunder.
Unsurprisingly, fans were floored by Williams’s take.
“I thought this was centel no way he’s serious,” said one user.
“Tell me this is satire man,” said another.
Maybe Williams’s comments were a reaction to recent events. In the Thunder’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, LA’s defense held Gilgeous-Alexander to zero free throw attempts — the first time in three years the Thunder star played a game without a single trip to the line.
Whether it’s team loyalty or just a comedic hot take, Williams definitely stirred the pot. And with the playoffs coming up fast, whether SGA’s MVP case depends on the whistle will stay a hot topic.
As defenses tighten in the postseason, Gilgeous-Alexander will either solidify his campaign — or keep hearing chants of “free throw merchant.”