Is James still the league s favorite?

Speaking of the league darling, Alexander took the lead last season, averaged 8.8 free throws per game, beat the team all the way, rushed into the playoffs, and won the O'Brien Cup! But this identity has always belonged to James before. When did it start to change quietly?

James has performed countless amazing dunks and breakthroughs in the NBA, but this star who often hits the inside has gained fewer and fewer free throw opportunities in recent years. According to statistics, James' free throw per game in four stages of his career showed a significant downward trend: 9 times in the Cavaliers during the 1.0 period, 7.8 times in the Heat period, 7 times in the Cavaliers during the 2.0 period, and 5.9 times in the Lakers period.

What is even more surprising is that at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, James's average free throws per game dropped to 4.9 times, setting a career low. Meanwhile, his free throw percentage rose to 81.6%, a career high.

The new favorite Alexander (8.8 free throws) is almost twice that of James (4.5 free throws). Former NBA seven-time champion Robert said bluntly: "If James can get the same penalty treatment as Alexander, his average score of more than 30 points per game and should be an undisputed MVP."

, including the Lakers media, have repeatedly pointed out that the referee has a "double standard" in terms of penalty decisions for James. In a game between the Lakers and the Thunder, James was awarded an offensive foul on 1-on-3 in a fast break, which caused widespread controversy. The playback shows that the defensive player had obvious foul action, but the referee ignored it.

James, as a player who often hits the inside, has less free throws than Curry, who prefers to shoot three-pointers. This abnormal phenomenon makes people question whether the referee has different penalty standards for James!

The decrease in the number of free throws may also be related to the change in playing style as we grow older, but as a superstar, I have not enjoyed the attention the league should have, which really makes people wonder whether the league is suspicious of suppression!

If compared with active players: in the ranking of free throws per game last season, Antetokounmpo ranked first with 10.6 times, Embiid ranked second with 8.9 times, Alexander ranked third with 8.8 times, and Doncic also had 7.9 times. And these players averaged less than or close to James.

Then the question is back, when did James start to drop his free throws sharply? The data provides a multi-angle perspective on the debate about whether the alliance suppresses James. On the one hand, James did get fewer free throws than many of his peers when he hit the inside line; on the other hand, his evolution of his playing style and his age are also an indisputable fact.

No matter whether the league suppresses James or not, you have to admit that at the age of 41, he can still maintain the top level and constantly adjust his game style. The three-point shooting percentage hit the second-highest in his career with 37.6%! Continuously improve yourself to develop new skills, this is LeBron James!