Research Finds Gilgeous-Alexander Drew Fouls on 23 of 46 Playoff Falls
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 27
Research Finds Gilgeous-Alexander Drew Fouls on 23 of 46 Playoff Falls
8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 27
Tom Haberstroh's updated playoff tracking found Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drew a foul on 23 of 46 falls during shot attempts, a 50% whistle rate through the Western Conference finals.
The data also showed his falling increased as the postseason progressed, rising from 11 incidents in Round 1 to 13 in Round 2 and 22 against San Antonio.
On overall shot attempts, Gilgeous-Alexander fell on 20 of 187 tries earlier in the study—10.7%—ahead of James Harden at 8.7%, Jalen Brunson at 7.9%, Donovan Mitchell at 7.6% and Victor Wembanyama at 0.6%.
Haberstroh's comparison suggests the perception that Gilgeous-Alexander exaggerates contact is backed by measurable playoff outlier data, with his foul-draw rate on falls far above Brunson's 20.8% and Mitchell's 21.2%.
Wembanyama's defense versus SGA's foul-drawing: which style represents the NBA's future?
As stars increasingly fall to draw fouls, how can the NBA stop this tactic from defining the game?