Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Catches Stray From WNBA Star Sabrina Ionescu Over Free Throws

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has established himself as a superstar, but his free-throw merchant tag might not escape him anytime soon.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Catches Stray From WNBA Star Sabrina Ionescu Over Free Throws

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander catches stray from Sabrina Ionescu (Image via FirstSportz)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has done everything he could this season to become the regular-season MVP. Along with that, he has managed to carry his excellent performances into the playoffs, which have now helped his Oklahoma City Thunder reach the NBA Finals.

The run was not easy, especially in the 2nd round against his MVP rival Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets. The 2023 champions nearly gave the Thunder a scare after pushing the series to 7 games. However, SGA and his teammates learnt from their mistakes and blew the Nuggets out of their building.

In the West Finals, he again kept up his usual 30-point and 7-assist-a-night a night numbers as his team took a commanding 2-0 series lead. In those games, a certain free-throw merchant chant started to emanate. ESPN’s Dorris Burke might have lit the fire, but fans have been pouring gasoline over it ever since.

They believe he was benefiting from favorable officiating, which seemed to have the opposite effect on the Minnesota Timberwolves. One former No. 2 overall pick disputed those claims, stating that past greats have done it too. However, that mantle seems to have caught on after catching a stray from a different league.

WNBA superstar Sabrina Ionescu was at the post-game press conference after her New York Liberty won their game. One reporter pointed out that her teammate, Breanna Stewart, drew 16 fouls in that game. When he asked head coach Sandy Brondello if he had seen another player draw that many fouls, Ionescu intervened:

SGA.

Sabrina Ionescu said

She was obviously trolling, as basketball’s 3-point contest record-holder then laughed away hysterically, knowing SGA’s foul calls were the troll of the season. Ionescu tried to regain herself, but still could not control her laughter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has set himself apart, says Colin Cowherd

The free-throw merchant tag notwithstanding, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has managed to elevate his game to a level where he is considered to be one of the best players in the league. Veteran analyst Colin Cowherd believes he is doing that despite playing alongside good teammates.

He is delivering and fulfilling everything I’ve been told Jayson Tatum does, but doesn’t really. SGA wants the ball, is always the aggressor. He’s got multiple great players around him, but he is clearly the alpha.

Colin Cowherd said on The Herd

That is how Cowherd came to believe that SGA is a superstar on his own right. He is better than most of the players in the league, and never shies away from taking the onus on himself to fix things for his Oklahoma City Thunder.

Cowherd also believes this should put a stop to any discussions where some bring in Jayson Tatum or other players into the debate of the best alpha dogs of this league. The veteran analyst believes SGA elevates himself and his teammates, which sets him apart.

Jackie Chan turns up to watch Sabrina Ionescu and Liberty win

Earlier, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals was taking place at Madison Square Garden. Usually, that means all New York celebrities would rush to watch the New York Knicks play. This was on the same night Sabrina Ionescu and her New York Liberty were playing at the Barclays Center.

Sabrina Ionescu with Hollywood legend Jackie Chan at Barclays Center
Sabrina Ionescu with Hollywood legend Jackie Chan at Barclays Center (Image via WNBA/X)

Considering that most celebrities went to watch the Knicks, and that the Liberty were in the early days of their regular season, the chances of celebrities turning up for their game were thin. When Ionescu and her teammates took to the court for pre-game shootaround, they were in for a surprise.

Hollywood action movie legend Jackie Chan was seated courtside, who must have probably been invited by the Liberty’s Chinese-American owners, Joe and Clara Wu Tsai. Ionescu and her teammates went up to the star of the Rush Hour series and clicked photos, still in awe that they met the legend they grew up watching.

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