[Sean Gregory] Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on being called a “foul merchant” : “Playing this game has done amazing things for my and my family’s life. And if a narrative on social media is the worst that comes from this game for me, well, I’d take that a million times out of a million times.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder superstar who has achieved initial status—think MJ, Dr. J, or KD—has also faced backlash. Fellow players, pundits, and the NBA’s chaotic online tinderbox have accused him of “flopping”—or acting as if he were hit much harder than he really was, often falling down in the process, to goad the ref into calling a foul. The goal: get to the free-throw line for two easy points.
I want to gauge SGA’s feelings about all the noise, given his 30-plus-points-per-game average, 88% efficiency from the line over the past three regular seasons and playoffs combined, plethora of honors, and the $285 million contract extension he signed in July 2025, SGA is unapologetic about his approach to scoring. “Playing this game has done amazing things for my and my family’s life,” he says. “And if a narrative on social media is the worst that comes from this game for me, well, I’d take that a million times out of a million times.”
Source: https://time.com/article/2026/10/08/shai-gilgeous-alexander-sga-interview/