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Coco Gauff's ex-coach, Brad Gilbert, expressed distaste about the Oklahoma City Thunder's star player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's foul-baiting as he helped catapult his team to a win against the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the NBA playoffs. Gilbert also shouted out to the referees for promoting fair play and confirmed rooting for the same over SGA's free throws.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, popularly known as SGA, is playing in the NBA Finals for the first time. He started strong with scoring a game-high 38 points, but narrowly missed winning Game 1 against the Pacers. In the next game, he led with 34 points in a 123-107 victory, becoming only the 12th player to reach 3,000 points in both the playoffs and the regular season combined.
Despite trailing, the Thunder won Game 4 with SGA's efforts as he concluded Friday night with 35 points, three rebounds, one block, and three steals. Oklahoma City Thunder toppled the Pacers 111-104 to tie up the series at 2-2. While several NBA fans have been hailing SGA for his offensive brilliance, tennis legend Brad Gilbert didn't seem impressed with his art of drawing fouls.
In his X post, Coco Gauff's ex-coach shared that he wouldn't want to watch the same playing style in Game 5, and desired to have the legends back.
"I’m so bummed even thinking this about watching game 5 @NBA but the thought of watching foul hunter SGA is very difficult where is the good old days, bring back Mendy Rudolf to stop this shit not to mention flopping Palming, i,e carrying the ball and euro traveling."
He further praised the referees, who didn't reward the strategical moves of the reigning MVP.
"i got no dog in fight but great to see the refs not rewarding the foul hunter, should be exactly like this in @NBA regular season."
Coco Gauff's ex-coach also wrote:
"The foul hunter is very good player like top 10 but not elite without free throws, and zero assists tonight sticks out, I will continue to root for @NBA refs over free throws."
The Thunder will take the court for Game 5 on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
SGA came under Coco Gauff's ex-coach Brad Gilbert's attack for foul-baiting in NBA playoffs
Brad Gilbert and Gauff at the 2024 US Open - Previews - Source: Getty" srcset="https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=190 190w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=720 720w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=640 640w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=1045 1045w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=1200 1200w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=1460 1460w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg?w=1600 1600w, https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/06/dae03-17498795563656-1920.jpg 1920w">
Brad Gilbert and Gauff at the 2024 US Open - Previews - Source: Getty
Coco Gauff's ex-coach watched SGA play his usual tricks of drawing fouls in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Playoffs. Gilbert also called out Jalen Brunson, who had a similar playing style like Shai. The former tennis player shared a post on X, urging the National Basketball Association to create new rules to bar players to practise foul-hunting.
"It’s really tough watching Shai and Brunson foul hunt and flop like they have been run over by a bus. The NBA needs to look at this in the off-season and make serious rule changes, beyond ridiculous, they are rewarding this type of play in my humble opinion."
Gilbert has multiple Grand Slam quarter-final appearances in his repertoire. Besides Gauff, he coached Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori and Andy Roddick.
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Agnijeeta Majumder
Agnijeeta is a US Olympics journalist at Sportskeeda. She holds a Master’s degree in English and has worked as a school teacher, a blogger, a content writer and a sports writer over the past 5 years. A lover of high-adrenaline track and field events, she was also a sprinter during her school days.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone happens to be her favorite Olympian, and the athlete’s feat of breaking four records within 13 months inspires her, apart from the American's body language on and off the track. Grant Hackett swimming with a partially dysfunctional lung and winning gold in Athens is her all-time favorite Olympic moment.
Agnijeeta believes that deriving of unique angles from podcasts and interviews carried out by Olympics.com, along with hype-building of potential Olympic events on social media can help fill the coverage gap during the off season.
When not at her work desk, Agnijeeta likes to sing and paint. She also plays string instruments like guitar and ukulele and is an avid player of word puzzles.
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