“It’s actually a skill” - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s father makes feelings known on OKC star’s foul baiting

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has built a strong case for the MVP award this season, largely due to his prolific shot-making. One key asset in Gilgeous-Alexander's arsenal is his ability to draw fouls, which allows him to get easy points at the charity stripe.

If there's anyone who knows how hard the OKC Thunder star has worked to hone this aspect of his game, it's his father Vaughn, who coached him during his youth basketball days. In a clip shared by the X handle of "Gil's Arena" on Friday, the elder Alexander responded to the label of "free throw merchant" that has been attributed to his son:

"It's actually a skill," Vaughn said. "You go back to Iverson and Kobe and the guys that do it...when I beat you and you can't recover and stay in front of me, it's a foul, m*****f***er."

Vaughn added that, while his son isn't the fastest or most athletic competitor out there, the three-time All-Star maximizes his craftiness to get plenty of scoring opportunities:

"He's not gonna run a 50-yard dash [and be] the fastest guy, you know what I mean?" Vaughn said on the podcast. "He's gonna lull you to sleep, change pace, change direction."

Thanks to his creativity on the court, Gilgeous-Alexander is second only to Giannis Antetokounmpo in free throws attempted per game. To be specific, the Thunder guard takes 8.9 free throws a night and makes 8.0 of them. His 90.1% clip from the free throw line adds another dimension to his lethal scoring repertoire.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander gets candid as he talks about "ultimate goal"

Though Gilgeous-Alexander's ability to draw fouls is a useful instrument for winning individual accolades like scoring champ or MVP, he knows exactly what his top priority is for this season.

In an interview with Andrew Schlecht of The Athletic, SGA revealed what matters most to him:

"My ultimate goal is to not set a franchise record in wins, but to hoist the trophy at the end of the season," Gilgeous-Alexander said.

To SGA's credit, not even the impressive accomplishment of accumulating the most regular-season wins in OKC history is enough to deter him from the biggest prize: his first-ever NBA championship.