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SGA’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter after a viral board game mocked the Thunder star’s foul-drawing during the NBA playoffs.
SGA gets mad about a game mocking his foul-baiting. How ironic. (Getty Images, X)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has spent the last two seasons dominating the NBA and collecting MVP trophies.
But while the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar continues to pile up accolades, criticism surrounding his foul-drawing tactics has only grown louder.
Now, that criticism has spilled into legal territory.
According to reports from The Athletic, SGA’s legal team has issued a cease-and-desist letter to fantasy sports company Underdog Sports over a viral promotional campaign that mocked the reigning back-to-back NBA MVP.
At the centre of the controversy is a parody board game called “Unethical Hoops,” created by Underdog Sports. The game was designed in the style of the classic battery-operated game Operation, but with a basketball twist centred around Shai’s reputation for drawing fouls.
In the game, touching the player would trigger a buzzer and whistle sound effect, symbolising a foul call whenever SGA gets contact on the court.
The campaign exploded online after a promotional video featuring Dillon Brooks of the Phoenix Suns helped market the game. Underdog also announced a giveaway of 100 copies during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals between Oklahoma City and the San Antonio Spurs.
But shortly after the video and giveaway went viral, Gilgeous-Alexander’s attorneys stepped in.
In the letter, obtained by The Athletic, lawyer Eric Fishman of ArentFox Schiff LLP demanded that Underdog Sports “permanently cease and desist from any and all use” of Gilgeous-Alexander’s name, image and likeness across all platforms, including websites, social media, advertising, merchandise and the board game itself.
The legal notice also reportedly requested that all physical copies of “Unethical Hoops” be destroyed.
The issue comes amid growing debate around the OKC superstar’s style of play. Many NBA fans and rival supporters have accused the Thunder guard of foul-baiting and exaggerating contact during games, especially throughout OKC’s current playoff run.
Despite the criticism, Shai’s production has remained elite. The Thunder star recently secured his second consecutive NBA MVP award and has Oklahoma City within touching distance of another NBA Finals appearance.
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