LAS VEGAS, NV — The Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten off to one of the best starts in NBA history, winning 24 of their first 25 games to start the 2025-26 regular season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a big reason for the Thunder's strong start, but he's also been the focal point of a lot of people's frustrations over the last few years.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been among the league leaders in free throws attempted since rising to stardom and becoming one of the best offensive players in the game. His ability to draw fouls has been praised by some, but criticized by the majority of fans around the NBA.
Former Miami Heat superstar and NBA on Prime broadcaster Dwyane Wade disagrees with the notion that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should be criticized for being able to draw fouls.
“Ain't that the purpose?” Wade responded to ClutchPoints in an interview. “Isn't the point to actually, like, have a guy that can draw fouls, that can get to the line, that can slow the game down, and that you can count on in the fourth quarter? The best players, the high IQ players find a way to manipulate the game, right? And it's really about understanding. His understanding of the game, of body movement, of defenses, he's smart enough to know how to get the call. Like, you know what I mean? And so I don't feel like that's a bad thing.”
Dwyane Wade played 16 years in the NBA, including 15 year with the Miami Heat. He's known as one of the best shooting guards in NBA history and one of the best at drawing contact.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Wade feels like Gilgeous-Alexander's abilities to draw contact are underrated.
“I actually think it's a great thing that he's learned this skill that only a few like James Harden had it in Houston. He found a way to manipulate the game and use the rules to his advantage. That's not a bad thing if he's playing within the rules and using them to his advantage.
“I think the more you talk about it, actually, the worse it gets. Because the players get more anxious, more anxiety guarding him, so credit to him for having so much in his bag that he can do anything on the floor that keeps his defender off-balance so much that he's able to get angles on them, he's able to put them in uncomfortable situations where he can take advantage of them not being chest-to-chest in front of him.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the NBA in scoring last season at 32.7 points per game to go along with his 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists ,and 1.7 steals per game. He was also incredibly efficient, shooting 51.9 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three, and 89.9 percent from the free throw line.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Steve Nash link up after the Thunder-Spurs NBA Cup semifinal.
The Canadian connection 🇨🇦
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/Ore5bqCQUz
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 14, 2025
This season, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals in two fewer minutes per game, but is even more efficient than he was last year at 56 percent shooting from the field, 43.7 percent from three, and 88.4 percent from the free throw line.
Given the improvements Gilgeous-Alexander has made this season, Dwyane Wade tells ClutchPoints he's even more impressed by the 2024-25 regular season MVP and the NBA Finals MVP.
“It's just really really impressive,” Wade added of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I think just watching him come back this year, after winning the championship, winning all the awards last year, and seeing him be better at things that he maybe wasn't as good at last year. It shows you just his commitment to his craft and you know, you have to give him so much respect because we know how hard it is to block out everything that's going on in the world, block out your responsibilities that you have at home as a father and still be getting better at your craft after all the success. He's special, and I think this year, we're getting a chance to really see just how special.”
Through the first quarter of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be runaway favorites for the 2026 NBA Championship. A second consecutive championship by the Thunder would mark the first back-to-back champion in the NBA since the 2017 and 2018 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.
