The Oklahoma City Thunder hosted the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night, but the final score proved secondary to a controversial transition collision.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fell beneath the hoop as Victor Wembanyama landed, appearing to deliberately clamp his knees together to catch the center’s trailing leg.
This specific contact forced Wembanyama into a stumbling recovery just weeks after he returned from a hyperextended knee that had sidelined him for 4 games.
Wembanyama has already missed 14 total games this season and can miss only 3 or 4 more before losing his eligibility for postseason awards, including Defensive Player of the Year eligibility.
San Antonio defeated Oklahoma City 3 times last month in less than two weeks, creating a tense atmosphere where the defending champions appeared desperate to avoid another loss.
SGA carries a reputation for drawing contact, which leads skeptics to believe this latest incident was a calculated move to hinder his opponent.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander polarizes online fans
The visual evidence split observers between fierce condemnation of a dirty act and defense of natural self-preservation instincts against a falling giant.
A vocal fan online called SGA's actions "very dirty" and accused him of adopting dangerous tactics from teammate Lu Dort.
A second fan said, “This is very dirty of SGA.”
In contrast, another user suggested that "bro was protecting his crown jewels" since no one wants an "8ft alien about to step on your manhood."
A fourth fan argued, “Or maybe didn’t want Wemby to step on his n–s.”
It remains unclear if the contact was malicious, but the reigning MVP certainly faces growing allegations of overly aggressive defense during crucial moments.
The league must monitor this fierce rivalry closely as physical altercations threaten to derail award races and player safety in future matchups.
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