FEATURE: Thunder as new Bad Boys?

Alta Sports2 days ago · 330 views

Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images

By Rafael Bandayrel

The Oklahoma City Thunder are no longer the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) lovable young team. Somewhere along the way, they became villains.

Not the loud, trash-talking kind. Not the superteam that brought superstars together to chase championships. But the kind of team that slowly frustrated fans possession after possession, until social media eventually turned against them.

And right now, no team in the league seems to receive more online bashing than Oklahoma City.

Flopping complaints

The latest example came during Game 2 against the Los Angeles Lakers when Chet Holmgren appeared to dramatically sell contact from Deandre Ayton. The clip quickly went viral, with fans accusing Holmgren of flopping.

The problem for Oklahoma City is that this was not viewed as a one-time incident. Many fans already believe the Thunder are one of the league’s biggest offenders when it comes to exaggerating contact.

To be fair, nearly every NBA team does it. Drawing fouls has become part of modern basketball. But the Thunder seemingly have several players known for it, which only fuels the criticism.

NBA fans are already tired of flopping in general and no player represents that frustration more than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Thunder fans see an elite scorer with incredible footwork and control. However, his critics see a “free throw merchant” who constantly hunts for whistles rather than making buckets the good old fashioned way.

Fair or not, Shai has developed a reputation online for foul baiting. Entire compilations of his exaggerated reactions and foul-drawing tactics regularly circulate on social media.

That perception has also led some fans to call him “unexciting” compared to other superstars who rely more on explosive highlights or deep shooting.

It’s not just SGA

Isaiah Hartenstein has also drawn criticism for theatrical falls in the paint, with fans pointing out moments where he appears to hit the floor with little or no contact.

Meanwhile, Lu Dort and Alex Caruso continue to frustrate opposing fan bases for their physical defense. While both are widely respected as elite defenders, many fans believe they get away with more contact than other players normally would.

That frustration grows even stronger during playoff games, where every whistle becomes magnified.

Comes with the territory

Being hated usually means one thing–you are winning and winning a lot.

The Thunder are the best team in basketball right now, and history shows that dominant teams almost always become villains.

Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images

The Golden State Warriors were hated during the Kevin Durant era. Before that, the Miami Heat became public enemy No. 1 during the LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh “Heatles” era.

Fans naturally grow tired of teams that dominate the league. The Thunder are simply the latest example.

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