<p>Welcome back to <strong>On The Ball with Ric Bucher</strong> on the <strong>United Wecast Network</strong>.</p><p>In this episode, Ric dives deep into why calling <strong>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander</strong> a “free-throw merchant” is one of the <strong>dumbest narratives in the league right now</strong> — and how it’s overshadowing a potentially <em>historic</em> season from both SGA and the <strong>23–1 Oklahoma City Thunder</strong>.</p><p><br></p><h3>🔥 In this episode:</h3><ul><li>How the <strong>Thunder’s 23–1 start</strong> (at time of recording) stacks up historically</li><li>Why the <strong>2025 MVP race</strong> is basically <strong>Shai vs Nikola Jokic</strong> (with Cade Cunningham lurking)</li><li>The truth about SGA’s free throws:</li><li>How often he really gets to the line vs Harden, Embiid, Barkley, Dantley, KD &amp; others</li><li>Why <em>drawing fouls is a skill</em>, not a scam</li><li>How playoff whistles prove who’s legit and who’s gaming weak officiating</li><li>Why blaming SGA for free throws is really about <strong>league rules, Adam Silver &amp; the officiating mandate</strong>, not Shai</li><li>A reality check on <strong>Steph Curry’s scoring titles</strong> with minimal free throws</li><li>The <em>real</em> context behind the <strong>Jordan vs LeBron GOAT debate</strong>:</li><li>MJ’s 10 scoring titles &amp; free-throw numbers</li><li>Why there was <strong>zero debate</strong> about the best player in the league during Jordan’s prime</li><li>How LeBron’s era was full of real competition for “best in the league”</li><li>What makes SGA <strong>the ideal modern franchise cornerstone</strong>: skill, temperament, leadership, and how he treats officials</li></ul><p>Ric also touches on his upcoming third book, <strong>“The Value of Being Coachable: The Secret to How Legendary Performers Reach Their Highest Potential So That You Can Reach Yours”</strong>, coming in May.</p><p>00:30 – Ric’s intro: FS1, radio, new book, where to follow</p><p>01:20 – Setting the table: Why OKC’s 23–1 start matters</p><p>03:00 – SGA vs. Jokic: The MVP race nobody is talking about enough</p><p>05:00 – Why “free-throw merchant” criticisms of SGA miss the point</p><p>07:00 – Historical context: Harden, Embiid, KD, Barkley, Dantley, MJ</p><p>09:30 – MJ vs. LeBron discussion: What “best player alive” really looked like</p><p>12:00 – The art of drawing fouls: Why it *is* a superstar skill</p><p>14:00 – How SGA earns calls vs. Luka’s style and reaction to refs</p><p>16:00 – Why OKC’s organization + SGA’s leadership make him special</p><p>18:00 – Playoff proof: SGA’s FT attempts *increasing* under postseason physicality</p><p>20:00 – The real reason for the SGA hate: jealousy &amp; fan-base resentment</p><p>22:00 – Bottom line: SGA as the league’s most complete two-way guard</p><p>23:30 – Closing thoughts + upcoming Finding The Seams &amp; Fullcourt Passport</p><h3><br></h3><p>Follow Ric everywhere: <strong>@RicBucher</strong> on X, Instagram, Threads &amp; Bluesky.</p><h3>📌 </h3><p><strong>#OnTheBall #RicBucher #ShaiGilgeousAlexander #SGA #OKCThunder #OklahomaCityThunder #NikolaJokic #CadeCunningham #NBA #NBAMVP #JordanVsLeBron #FreeThrowMerchant #NBAHistory #NBAPodcast #BasketballAnalysis #AdamSilver #NBARefs</strong></p><p>Support this show <a target="_blank" rel="payment" href="http://supporter.acast.com/bucher-and-friends">http://supporter.acast.com/bucher-and-friends</a>.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>