ESPN NBA analyst Doris Burke ruffled some feathers during the Western Conference finals when she referred to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a “free-throw merchant” during Game 1 between the Timberwolves and Thunder.
Burke got some criticism for describing the young star in that light, but during a podcast produced by ESPN PR, the NBA commentator explained that the reference was in a larger context of the narrative that was already there regarding Gilgeous-Alexander.
“One of the storylines in the Western Conference Finals, in Game 1 in particular, Minnesota had some frustration about the number of free throws that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took,” she said. “And NBA Twitter goes crazy for certain guys who they call ‘free throw merchants,’ etc. The situation this year reminds me a little of Dwyane Wade in the 2006 Finals against Dallas, where people were incensed at the number of free throws.
“So we talked about the storyline, ‘free-throw merchant,’ and we did that because in Minnesota, 19,000 fans were chanting ‘free-throw merchant.’ We know the viewer at home can hear that. And if they can’t hear it, they are wondering what’s being chanted. And so we felt going in as a broadcast team, ‘This is a storyline. If it plays out where there’s a number of free throws happening, it’s something we need to discuss.’”
The commentator was keenly aware of the reaction her remark got and wore it as a bit of a badge of honor since, as she explained, multiple fan bases have believed they didn’t like their team.
“Oklahoma City fans took exception to that. They didn’t like it,” she said. “And usually, I can tell I feel like I’m doing a decent job when multiple fan bases are pissed off at me … at various times, Boston fans think I hate them, Knicks fans think I hate them, Sixers fans, and now Oklahoma City’s like, ‘why doesn’t Doris like SGA?’ I love SGA. Absolutely love him.”
Pacers head coach praised Burke for her work on the ESPN broadcast ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Thunder’s Game 7 home win over the Nuggets on May 18, 2025. NBAE via Getty Images
game on April 9, 2025 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. NBAE via Getty Images
“She has changed the game. I just want to say that in support of her,” he told reporters before Burke will be back on TV for ESPN’s Finals coverage.
It’s unclear if she’ll be back next to play-by-play man Mike Breen as the No. 1 broadcast team on the Worldwide Leader after The Athletic reported that Burke’s place on the top broadcast team was “not guaranteed.”