Jay Williams has defended the 2024-25 MVP from the free-throw shooting narrative.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2024-25 regular season MVP award over stars like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Despite this monumental award, people are discussing his free throws.
The free throws are a big part of his game, but many star players also play like this. Every superstar scorer thrives at the free-throw line, which makes the criticism bizarre for some people. Yes, opponents’ frustrations are valid about the contact, but it is not against the rules.
Thankfully, there is pushback to the narrative with Jay Williams being a big part of that.
Gilgeous-Alexander does not mind the critics because he knows he is getting under his opponents’ skin.
It helps his team because the opponents are getting too emotional when playing against OKC. Even Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman called him a “foul artist.”
The wins are what matter to him and the Thunder. However, a big part of the NBA community has been too hard on Gilgeous-Alexander. That is why people like Williams are stepping in to convince people of how the MVP is dominating the league.
“Let’s actually check the receipts though. 135 free-throw attempts, wild, mind-boggling right? Unless you’re LeBron in 2009, 188. MJ in ’89, 190. D-Wade in ’06, 136. Kobe, 140. Larry Legend, 138. Magic, 134. I don’t know, AI 129,” Williams said on his X account.
“Shai is doing what legends have always done. Now, it’s a problem? Cool, let’s just retroactively call MJ as a free-throw finesser. Or LeBron as a contact connoisseur.”
“We can just admit what’s actually happening, SGA is just unguardable.
“Some folks are just mad because he’s not doing it with a loud shoe deal or a reality show. Same moves, new era, stop crying, play defense.”
Amidst all the bizarre criticism, Gilgeous-Alexander remains the NBA’s most impressive offensive player. He has kept playing his game, paying no mind to the complaints about his style.
That is the right way to approach it because he continues to play as a top star. The Thunder are competing for a championship, so he does not want to think about anything else. By continuing on this path, Gilgeous-Alexander can bring the trophy to Oklahoma City.
His success with the Thunder could make him the greatest player in franchise history. It would be an impressive achievement could propel him over Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
The championship is the only thing that matters now to SGA and the Thunder. They do not mind all the critics because they prove them wrong every time on the court. The Western Conference Finals are not over, so the Thunder won’t talk until they finish the task at hand.
