Overview
- In a DEFLECTED video segment this week, Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks listed his top three foul-baiters as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić and Trae Young and said Dončić was "probably number one."
- Teammate Khaman Maluach also named Joel Embiid during the same exchange and Brooks agreed Embiid belongs in the conversation.
- League data show Dončić led the NBA with 10.1 free-throw attempts per game in 2025–26, a stat widely cited by critics who question whether some fouls are being earned or sought.
- Head-to-head game logs add nuance because Dončić reached 10 or more free-throw attempts only once in his 12 regular-season meetings with Brooks, showing season averages do not tell the whole story.
- The comments revive a broader debate about foul-baiting and officiating by highlighting how free-throw totals are used as a proxy for the behavior while game context, playoff spikes and player tactics drive public perception.