Knicks Coach Calls Out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Foul-Drawing Tactics

Mike Brown says the Thunder star 'does a great job of convincing' referees he's being fouled.

Mar. 5, 2026 at 3:09pm

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Following the Knicks' loss to the Thunder, head coach Mike Brown criticized reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's ability to draw fouls, saying he "does a great job of convincing the referees, probably better than anyone in the league, that he's getting hit." Brown was particularly upset about a no-call in the first quarter when Gilgeous-Alexander collided with Jalen Brunson, who appeared to beat him to the spot to take a charge. The coach got a technical foul arguing the play.

Why it matters

Gilgeous-Alexander has long been criticized for his foul-drawing tactics, with Brown being the latest coach to comment on it. The debate over how Gilgeous-Alexander is officiated is an ongoing storyline, especially as he continues to be one of the league's most dominant players.

The details

In the first quarter, Jalen Brunson attempted to take a charge on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but the officials did not call a foul. This upset Mike Brown, who felt it should have been Gilgeous-Alexander's third foul. Brown got into the face of an official and received a technical foul for arguing the call. Overall, Gilgeous-Alexander shot just 7 free throws on the night, while the Thunder as a team took 25 free throws, only 3 more than the Knicks.

  • The incident occurred in the first quarter of the March 5, 2026 game between the Knicks and Thunder.

The players

Mike Brown

The head coach of the New York Knicks who criticized Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's foul-drawing tactics.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The reigning NBA MVP who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder and has long been criticized for his ability to draw fouls.

Jalen Brunson

The Knicks guard who attempted to take a charge on Gilgeous-Alexander, leading to the disputed no-call that upset Mike Brown.

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What they’re saying

“SGA, he is a tough cover. He does a great job of convincing the referees, probably better than anyone in the league, that he's getting hit.”

— Mike Brown, Head Coach, New York Knicks (New York Times)

“Tonight, you guys saw the play … SGA had two fouls. Jalen was there, and he ran him over. It was just like the call that they made on OG (Anunoby). I don't understand why that was a no-call, but that should have been his third and the bucket shouldn't have counted. We should have went the other way with the basketball. To see that, knowing that Jalen was standing there and putting his body on the line, and our guys are fighting their asses off to try and win the basketball game, it didn't sit well with me, obviously.”

— Mike Brown, Head Coach, New York Knicks (New York Times)

“I'm going to have his back every single night, and he has ours.”

— Jalen Brunson, Guard, New York Knicks (New York Times)

What’s next

The two teams will face off again at the end of the month in Oklahoma City.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing debate around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's foul-drawing tactics, which have drawn criticism from opposing coaches like Mike Brown. It also shows the strong relationship between the Knicks players and their coach, who are willing to stand up for each other even in tough losses.