Is There a Free Throw Secret to NBA MVP Success?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP Win: A Statistical Deep Dive Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander secured the 2024-25 NBA Most Valuable Player award. This win sparked a discussion about his playing style, particularly his frequent free throw attempts. A recent video analysis delves into the statistics, comparing SGA to other high-scoring MVPs. The analysis reveals a surprising trend: many MVPs have a high number of free throw attempts. James Harden, in his MVP season, averaged 10.1 free throw attempts per game. Similarly, Kevin Durant's MVP season shows 9.9 attempts, and Kobe Bryant reached 9.0. SGA's average of 8.8 free throws attempted per game during his MVP season falls within this range. "It's almost like MVPs and season leaders in points shoot a lot of free throws," states the video's author. This observation suggests a correlation between high scoring and frequent trips to the free throw line among elite NBA players. While the video uses informal language and clickbait, the underlying data provides a compelling case for further investigation into the relationship between scoring, free throws, and MVP performance in the NBA.