Following a tight loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown made waves with his comments that suggested Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was good at selling foul calls.
The criticism was clear.
“SGA is… He’s a tough cover,” Brown told reporters. “He does a great job of convincing the referees, probably better than anybody in the league, that he’s getting hit.”
Brown isn’t the first to say it—he certainly won’t be the last—but NBA fans didn’t exactly appreciate who the messenger was on this one.
After the Knicks’ head coach made that comment, the quote went viral on social media and landed New York’s star guard Jalen Brunson some strays from basketball fans.
NBA Fans Fire Back With Jalen Brunson Comments
GettyLandry Shamet (#44) of the left of Jalen Brunson (#11) celebrating.
@lm277_: He has Brunson on his team
@JayMile96: he had one more ft than brunson bc of a tech on him lmao and challenged nothing the whole game
“SGA, he’s a tough cover. He does a great job of convincing the referees probably better than anybody in the league that he’s getting hit” 😳
There’s no denying that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the best when it comes to getting calls that send him to the charity stripe. For the past few seasons, he’s developed a reputation that doesn’t always come with the most positive reviews. He’s often referred to as a foul-baiter, despite being one of the best pure point guards in the game.
However, Brunson isn’t all that different. In fact, the Knicks’ star is in a similar boat. Brunson is clearly one of the best point guards in the game, but he’s also one of the best at selling foul calls to get to the line. The fact that Gilgeous-Alexander shot just one more free throw than Brunson on Wednesday night didn’t exactly work in Brown’s favor while making that comment.
@beyonkamae: your star player is brunson. cmon man
@Wilsonbatcave32: Just like Brunson, right coach?
@Chamb6223: You coach Jalen Brunson, hello???
A Look At The Numbers
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 14: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks and Team Knicks reacts after a shot during the Kia Shooting Stars during 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome on February 14, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images)
In Brown’s defense, Gilgeous-Alexander is elite at getting to the line. As he averages over 9.0 free throw attempts per game, Gilgeous-Alexander ranks top three in the NBA, trailing only Deni Avdija and Luka Doncic.
Brunson is shockingly outside of the top 20 in that category this season, averaging 5.8 per game.
This season, the free-throw numbers are down for Brunson. After he averaged under 3.0 attempts per game through his first four seasons in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks, Brunson saw that number jump to 5.8 per game during his first season with the Knicks. Over the next two seasons, Brunson averaged 6.5 and 6.9 free throws per game.
Despite his numbers being down from the free-throw line, Brunson is still averaging 26.5 points per game, which hovers around his career-high. He’s attempting threes at the highest rate of his career (7.5 per game).
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While there is a clear difference between Gilgeous-Alexander and Brunson this season when it comes to getting the line, Brown’s argument wasn’t as strong on Wednesday as the numbers were nearly identical.
The NBA MVP checked in for 35 minutes and produced 26 points, eight assists, and three rebounds. Brunson came in for 39 minutes to shoot 5-18 from the field, scoring 16 points, while dishing out a game-high 15 assists. Both sides had an impressive performance. SGA’s Thunder had the edge.
OKC knocked off NYC with a 103-100 victory. The Thunder move to 49–15 on the season. The Knicks dropped to 40-23.
Knicks Coach’s SGA Quote Sparks Debate About Jalen Brunson