“Some of the calls he gets are BS” – Sophie Cunningham calls out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s superstar whistle in the NBA

Last season, NBA fans were treated to one of the most electric MVP races in recent memory. A legitimate case could have been made for as many as seven players, but the final race ultimately boiled down to three superstars.

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Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama split the top three spots. At the same time, a player like Luka Doncic, averaging 33.5 points and taking fourth place in the West, didn’t even make the top three candidates, which speaks volumes about the level of talent in the Association.

In the end, the Michael Jordan Trophy for the second consecutive season went to the Canadian guard, who has thus established himself as potentially the best player in the world right now, given everything he’s done over the last four seasons.

Still, fans have issues with his unethical approach to the game, a topic WNBA star Sophie Cunningham recently addressed without holding back.

“I love Shai. I love the Thunder. I think they are such a fun young team. I think they’re selfless. They are a very fun team for people to watch and to fall in love with just because of their personalities and they’re just freaking good,” Sophie said on her podcast with Drew Hanlen. “But some of the calls that he gets is f—king bulls—t.”

De’Aaron Fox was called for a foul on SGA here. 😅 pic.twitter.com/XvD72bT8uP

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 25, 2026

Shai’s game has so much more to offer than just drawing fouls

Sophie is aware that it’s simply the name of the game and that the game’s biggest stars will always get a friendly whistle, but she also thinks that fans shouldn’t be gaslit because, in some moments, it’s obvious that Shai gets superstar treatment from the referees.

However, when we look at the statistics themselves, we will see that the 2025 NBA champion finished last season only fourth in the league in average free throws per game. People somehow tend to forget that he was tied for first in field goals made and near the top in paint and mid-range points, while leading the league in clutch buckets.

Yes, SGA himself will admit to you that he has learned to manipulate the rules and sometimes uses that to his advantage. Still, the mere fact that he is so versatile and dangerous offensively will cause defenders to fall right into those traps.

It’s nothing new, as many other great scoring machines in their prime, like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or James Harden, did the same thing. Draw-baiting fouls are a sign that you are manipulating what the opposing defense is going to do and thereby actually changing their whole scheme and you can only do that if you have a hallmark of elite skill.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder star recently spoke about it himself, while explaining why public backlash is just part of his journey to all-time greatness.

“Everyone in the history of the NBA has an arc where everyone loves them, and then everyone hates them. LeBron James was hated and look what he has done for the game. It’s part of the game. I love it. It’s stuff I’ve dreamed about as a kid,” SGA said.

Dillon Brooks says he “had Shai’s number” and hopes SGA sees this 👀

Now he has Wemby on his radar too. pic.twitter.com/R1CWACXotF

— HoopsNation (@HoopsNation_) August 20, 2026

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SGA is always one step ahead of defense

Shai is not far from the truth. At a moment when OKC still has a chance to become a dynasty and he himself has four consecutive seasons behind him where he averaged a minimum of 30 points on 50 percent shooting, a feat only Michael has accomplished before, it clearly suggests that SGA has unquestionably entered rarefied air.

Most Seasons in NBA History Averaging 30+ PTS and 50%+ FG by a Guard:

5 — Michael Jordan

4 — Shai Gilegous-Alexander

3 — Every other G in NBA History Combined pic.twitter.com/kpsDaqATfa

— Kalshi Hoops (@KalshiHoops) March 27, 2026

That still doesn’t mean his foul-baiting will become any less irritating just because he is so good on offense. At times, the exaggerated contact borders on the theatrical and it’s clear to everyone that most of them are called because of the player’s name rather than because it was actually a foul.

Don’t expect it to stop anytime soon. As long as the two-time MVP remains an unstoppable scoring force with no logical counter in any opponent’s scouting report, defenses will continue to play in fear of getting outsmarted.

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Related: Sophie Cunningham on why Olivia Miles reminds her of Luka Doncic

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This story was originally published September 18, 2026 at 12:15 PM.