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[Saba Sports News] ESPN analyst Doris Burke recently addressed backlash from Oklahoma City Thunder fans regarding comments she made during the Western Conference Finals.
Speaking with ESPN’s Alex Feuz ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Burke clarified the context behind her on-air reference to the “free throw merchant” narrative during the Thunder’s series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“One of the big storylines in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was Minnesota’s frustration over how often Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got to the free throw line,” Burke explained. “NBA Twitter loves that term — ‘free throw merchant’ — and they use it for players who draw a lot of fouls.”
Burke compared the situation to Dwyane Wade’s heavy free throw numbers in the 2006 NBA Finals, which also sparked similar public reactions.
“We brought it up on the broadcast because 19,000 fans in Minnesota were chanting ‘free throw merchant,’” Burke said. “When the crowd is that loud, fans at home are either hearing it or wondering what’s going on, so we felt it was worth addressing on air.”
She acknowledged that Thunder fans didn’t take kindly to the reference. “The Oklahoma City fans took exception to that. They didn’t like it,” Burke said. “Usually, I feel like I’m doing my job well when fans from multiple teams are mad at me.”
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, recently named the 2024–25 NBA MVP, was central to the Thunder’s 4-1 win over Minnesota. He averaged 31.4 points, 8.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game in the series, while shooting 45.7% from the field. He also averaged 10.2 free throw attempts per game, converting 86.3% — a key aspect of his offensive impact.
The Thunder are now headed to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2012, led by Gilgeous-Alexander and a strong supporting cast.