Do we like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
Our score: 8 out of 10. No harmful words or company turned up, plus a new kids-focused foundation, but the record on the harm side is thin rather than loud.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a Toronto-born guard who has become the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The honours list is long: Finals MVP in 2025, a scoring title, multiple All-NBA First Team picks, a bronze at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and Canada's Athlete of the Year in 2023.
In May 2026 he became the 14th player to win back-to-back NBA MVPs, according to the Associated Press. So he's at the top of his game, and with that comes a lot of noise from opposing fans.
The noise is mostly about foul-drawing. Opposing fans reckon he exaggerates contact, and he has shrugged it off, saying he finds it fun and that he would hate himself too if he were watching from the other side. That's a decent way to cop it.
Then came the stoush. Underdog made 100 copies of a promotional board game called Unethical Hoops, based on Operation, and its website said he had made hoops all about foul baiting. His lawyer sent a cease-and-desist letter dated 22 May, claiming the company was using his name and image without permission. Underdog's spokesperson said the company likes to have some fun with whatever is in the sports zeitgeist, and as of late May hadn't backed down. That's a bit precious, perhaps, but it's a legal dispute over his image, not a fight with fans.
Thunder GM Sam Presti came out swinging for him in June, arguing the numbers don't match the perception. He said Gilgeous-Alexander drew 415 fouls, only 11 were challenged and four of those were overturned, and he pointed out that he signs about 400 autographs before every game. Of course that's his boss talking, so take it as a character reference rather than a verdict.
On the harm test, we searched his name against LGBTQ+ and trans issues, women, immigrants, climate and politics and found nothing from him, nothing from his camp and no dodgy company. That's a clean sheet, though a quiet one, because he mostly keeps politics out of his public life. On the nice side, after the 2025 conference final he said he doesn't have 124 points by himself and loves his teammates to death.