Draymond GreenForward, Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green Defends Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Against "Foul-Baiting" Critics

30 May 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:06

In this YouTube monologue, NBA player and commentator Draymond Green reacts to the ongoing criticism that Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander is deliberately drawing fouls, a narrative he labels "foul‑baiting." Green argues that the media’s focus on alleged flopping undermines Shai’s recent achievements, including back‑to‑back MVP‑level performances. He dismisses the claim that Shai’s success is merely due to free‑throw attempts, noting that opponents actually attempted fewer free throws. Green condemns the discourse as "sickening," asserting that it attempts to diminish Shai’s greatness and the competitive integrity of the NBA.

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Everybody's complaining about Shai getting too many foul calls. "Ah man, he's foul baiting." Shai, what I will say is you've reached a new level of greatness, my man. You've reached a new level of greatness because you have sports media coming out and talking about what they don't like about your greatness. That's incredible. As if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running up and down the court with the whistle in his mouth calling the foul for himself. That's what we gonna act like. They just calling fouls for one guy. Fortunately, that theory doesn't work because main guy on the other side shot 5 less free throws. I mean, I've been baffled watching people talk about Shea Gildress-Alexander. Like, he just not him. Like, he didn't just win back-to-back MVPs in the NBA, which is the best basketball league in the world by a long shot. We really gonna try to discredit him and act like it's all because he flopped? You all think the NBA is that easy to where this guy just flops and go to the free throw line and he becomes like, The back-to-back MVP in this league? We're gonna really dumb the NBA down to that? That's a shame. It's actually sickening.