Can a Guy Get a Call? The 10 Least Fouled Scorers in The NBA
If there's anyone in the NBA who doesn't have the right to complain about never getting a call, it's Dwight Howard. Of everyone in the NBA who is scoring 20 points per game, he's the most fouled per field goal attempt.
In fact, he's taken nearly as many free throw attempts (147) as he has field goal attempts (152). If he ever gets his Shaq-like .537 FT percentage up he could get his scoring into the mid-20s, and win himself an MVP.
Not everyone is getting calls like Superman though. There are some guys who just can't get a call, even if they are getting the points to get the so-called star treatment. I got to wondering who the least successful in the league were in drawing fouls and/or getting the calls.
Whether it's the former or the latter is a matter of interpretation, but here are the 10 players who average over 20 points a game, and have the highest field goal to free throw ratios in the NBA.
10: Paul Pierce—2.83
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I was a bit surprised to see him on this list. However it's not an opinion, it's a ratio.
Pierce draws a foul once every 2.83 times he takes a field goal attempt. Overall, Pierce draws a foul 14.7 percent of the time. Some of this is probably because of his tendency to shoot the ball from outside.
Jump shots account for 73 percent of his field goal attempts, and 48 percent of his shots close to the basket are assisted. He only gets about one assisted basket per game inside the paint. So probably, he's not getting as many calls because he's not driving into the paint.
9: Pau Gasol—2.84
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Let me just say, apparently this guy isn't getting enough calls. Over 59 percent of his shots are close to the basket and nearly half of those (45 percent) are unassisted.
Yet, he only draws a foul 14.7 percent of the time. His numbers should be closer to the Howard end of the spectrum than behind Paul Pierce's. I don't know, maybe they feel that only one player on a team deserves the star treatment.
8: Paul Millsap—2.88
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Paul Millsap has really emerged this year in the absence of Carlos Boozer. He's still not getting the star treatment though. He's only drawing the foul 13.9 percent of the time.
It might have something to do with Deron Willimas. Most of his inside scoring, almost 80 percent of it, is assisted. It also might have have something to do with not getting calls though. Some more 40 point outbursts might take care of that.
7: Carmelo Anthony—2.91
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With the possible exception of Pau, Anthony is the biggest star on this list. Among the established elite players in the league, no one draws less fouls.
Some of it probably has something to do with the way that Anthony scores. He only scores eight points a game close to the basket, and he gets blocked 16 percent of the time he goes there. Still, not all shooting fouls occur in the paint, and you'd think someone of Anthony's stature would get more calls.
6: Luis Scola—2.97
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When you think of the stars in this league, Luis Scola isn't one of the first names to race to the tip of your tongue. Not being recognized as a star isn't keeping Scola from playing like one though.
Scola's been averaging 22 points a game and grabbing nearly ten boards. Playing like a star doesn't mean that he's going to get the calls like one though. Scola only draws a foul 9.6 percent of the time, even though half his points are close to the basket, and nearly half of those are unassisted.
Simply put, Scola should be getting more calls.
5: Monta Ellis—3.06
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Monta Ellis is definitely picking up his game this year, currently sitting at second in the league in scoring with a more than respectable 25.9 points per game. That's not helping him get the foul calls though.
He only draws fouls 10.3 percent of the time. Probably something has to do with 72 percent of his shots coming on jump shots though. With Ellis it's probably something to do with the type of scorer he is as much as getting calls.
Still, when he does go inside it's only assisted 38 percent of the time.
4: Andrea Berganni—3.33
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Andrea Bargnani, also known as "not Chris Bosh" steps into a role that is not easy to fill. Bargnani hasn't been quite up to the task, and he hasn't been getting the calls to help either. For a 7 footer, he's not getting to the basket.
Only 18 percent of his shots are close to the basket, and that might have something to do with him only getting foul calls 10.4 percent of the time.
3: Michael Beasley—3.56
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Beasley was shopped around and no one wanted him, not even Toronto who took an essentially worthless trade exception rather take his services in return. The Timberwolves bit though, and they aren't regretting it.
Beasley isn't getting foul calls at better than the 13 percent rate he is right now though. It might have something to do with the fact that 80 percent of his shots are jump shots. It also might have something to do with his having a breakout season.
Still, you can't help but think that with his size if he starts taking it to the hole he's going to get more calls.
2: Derrick Rose—3.72
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Rose's placement here is only a matter of technicality. In actuality his percentage of fouls drawn is the lowest at only 7 percent.
This in spite of the fact that he drives to the basket for 30 percent of his points. As fast and frequently as he takes it to the rim, there's no question, he should be getting more calls. A lot more calls.
1: Danny Granger—4.00
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Danny Granger might be the surprise No. 1 on this list.
His placement though has as much to do with the style of play. Only 14 percent of his shots are close to the rim. Still, Granger's 9.4 percent seems a bit low for drawing the foul. It might help if his team were winning. Not being an aggressive shooter on a losing team in a small market is a great recipe for not getting the foul call.
