How Do You Stop SGA? LeBron James Has An Idea

Until further notice, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reigns supreme as the MVP of an incredibly competitive NBA. For quite some time, coaches around the league have racked their brains to come up with a sustainable defensive strategy against the Oklahoma City Thunder stalwart.

Leave it to the King of the past two decades to draw up a “simple” way to stop SGA.

On a recent episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast, LeBron James said that it’s imperative for NBA teams to prevent Gilgeous-Alexander from getting to his favorite spot on the floor.

“You gotta keep him off the free throw line,” James said of SGA. “Which is hard. He uses these angles, and he knows how to manipulate the game in a good way.”

LBJ, whose preferred style of “manipulation” throughout his career has been exploiting mismatches with his athleticism, broke down the specifics of the Thunder star’s proficiency at drawing fouls.

“He’s always looking for hands, arms, and elbows if you’re in his space,” James explained. “That’s our game right now. You gotta respect it.”

The numbers show that Gilgeous-Alexander has been colliding with an awful lot of limbs. During the 2024-25 campaign, he took 669 free throw attempts, second only to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 707 foul shots. This season, the 2025 Finals MVP has already taken 262 free throws; only Deni Avdija (287) has shot more free throw attempts.

James did acknowledge that containment, not total shutdown, is the more achievable goal when it comes to defending SGA. “Shai’s gonna make his 11 to 12 field goals at a high rate,” he conceded. “If you’re also giving him 12 to 13 free throws, which he shoots at a high rate too, that’s when 27 points turns to 38.”

For one reason or another, Gilgeous-Alexander has drawn flak for this particular style of play, with fans and pundits calling him things like “free throw merchant.” Regardless of this public reaction, SGA powered the Thunder’s top-tier offense and conquered the NBA’s summit back in June. 

Every other NBA team, including James’ Los Angeles Lakers, is now hell-bent on ensuring that Gilgeous-Alexander’s production will be compromised as OKC goes for back-to-back titles.