Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard, has reportedly issued a cease-and-desist letter to fantasy sports company Underdog Sports over a satirical board game that mocks his tendency to flop. The game, titled 'Unethical Hoops', is a parody of the classic Operation game, where players use tweezers to remove tiny basketballs from holes in an illustration resembling the NBA star. If the tweezers touch the figure, a foul buzzer sounds.
The company held a contest to give away 100 copies of the game during Game 3 of the Western Conference finals between the Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. Although the game does not explicitly name Gilgeous-Alexander, it uses his likeness. Attorneys from ArentFox Schiff sent a letter dated May 22 demanding Underdog stop using his name, image, and likeness across all media, including the game's website, social media, and promotional materials, and that all copies of the game be destroyed.
Gilgeous-Alexander's flopping has been a hot topic in NBA circles. A video on X showing him falling after every shot attempt amassed over 17 million views. Yahoo Sports contributor Tom Haberstroh analysed postseason data and found that Gilgeous-Alexander does fall more often than his peers, though whether this constitutes flopping, results from frequent fouling, or is an attempt to protect his joints remains debated.
When asked about the flopping accusations, Gilgeous-Alexander said, 'It does nothing. Doesn’t fuel me, doesn’t discourage me. It’s part of the game. I’ve been dealing with it a long time. I don’t really hear it. I’m focused on what’s going on on the court.'
