Luka Doncic Tops NBA Star’s Foul-Baiters List Ahead of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Foul-baiting has become one of the NBA’s buzzwords in recent seasons, with certain stars accused of using tricks to draw whistles. Among them has been Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose critics point at him for “using their body well to earn fouls.” But now, a defender who has faced SGA has ranked Lakers forward Luka Doncic at the top of the foul-baiters list, even ahead of him.

On an NBA 2K League taping of Deflected with teammate Khaman Maluach, the Phoenix Suns guard Dillon Brooks was asked for his top three foul-baiters in the league. He started with his Canadian teammate, then corrected himself.

“My three top foul baiters," Brooks started. "Shay, Luka Doncic, and he’s probably number one, and oh my god, you know, Trae Young.” Maluach then added Joel Embiid.

There is context behind Brooks naming Doncic as the biggest foul-baiter. The numbers support his claim.

Doncic led the NBA last season at 10.1 free-throw attempts per game in his first full year with the Lakers. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander was at 9.0 and has been among the leaders in the league in FTA in the past. Trae Young remains the classic stop-and-pop case, who averaged 4.8 free-throw attempts last season but averages 7.6 in his 8-year-long NBA career.

Brooks is someone who has never pretended to be a neutral observer. He is a physical defender who has already said, before a playoff series, that the Thunder had “a lot of foul-baiters” and that officials were “calling too many calls.” Putting Doncic first is him saying that the Lakers star is worse at the thing he hates most as a defender.

It also fits how he has to guard both. Gilgeous-Alexander lives in the midrange, gathers, and forces contact on the gather or the step-through. Doncic stops on a dime, uses his size, and lets trailing defenders run into his back on step-backs and drives.

Brooks has seen that look in Suns-Lakers games. Doncic is 9-3 in those meetings in their last 12 matchups, averaging 29.4 points, and has not needed 10 free throws in most of those nights. The list is still a reputation ranking, not a box-score ranking.

Adam Silver, the NBA Commissioner, said that the league wants to tighten flopping enforcement again. Lists like this are why fans already treat Gilgeous-Alexander as the face of the problem. And Brooks just told them the Lakers’ new cornerstone is worse.

Why Brooks Put Luka Doncic Over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Brooks named Gilgeous-Alexander first out of habit, then said Doncic “is probably number one.” That was not random. It is the opinion of a defender who has to live with both styles, choosing the bigger and slower over the MVP.

SGA’s critics point to the gather foul, the sudden deceleration, the arm that finds the defender. Doncic's critics point to the pause, the complaint, the extra step that turns a closeout into a whistle.

Young is the third because the league has been arguing about his floater and pull-up contact for years. Embiid is the big-man version of the same argument when he is healthy.

Brooks has no reason to protect Luka Doncic or Gilgeous-Alexander. He has every reason to complain about both. When a player like that says the Lakers star is worse than the Thunder star, the quote travels because it confirms what half the league already yells at the TV.

The coming season will test it. If Doncic stays at 10 free throws a night and the Lakers win, Brooks’ list becomes another noise. If the league changes its rules and Doncic’s efficiency dips, the ranking will look believable.

For now, Luka Doncic sits above Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a foul-baiter list. Built by a guy who has to chase both of them.