Rusty Weiss
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver drew heavy criticism from fans on Wednesday after defending the league’s playoff officiating during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
When asked by the host about widespread complaints over flopping—particularly involving Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—Silver downplayed the issue.
See, to him, there is a difference between simply selling a call and actually flopping.
“I would only say that there’s a difference between selling a call, exaggeration, and a true flop, which is where you’re actually fooling the referees,” Silver said. “I think sometimes even as I sit in the stands at games, players may be falling down, players may be reacting to a call.”
Silver Downplays Flopping, Praises ‘Incredible’ Officiating
Silver acknowledged that officiating can always improve, but concluded with an all-time doozy.
“The players are taught to sell calls these days. Can officiating get better? Of course. We’re always working on that. Can officials get fooled? Occasionally? We’re always looking for that as well,” he explained. “But the officiating is incredible.”
Adam Silver is either in DENIAL or he’s just flat out LYING. Pat McAfee brought up the OKC Thunder flopping.
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) May 28, 2026
Silver: “The officiating is incredible" 😭💀 pic.twitter.com/cFPgY1A2vq
Fans Torch Silver as Backlash Explodes Online
Silver’s comments drew outrage from the folks on social media. Fans accused him of being in denial or out of touch with reality. Some called him the “worst commissioner in sports.”
Others wondered about his uncanny resemblance to Powder. Wait, that’s just me.
“Adam Silver straight-up gaslighting everybody, saying the officiating is incredible while OKC flops their way through the series, is wild man,” one fan wrote.
Another claimed, “NBA is literally deemed sports entertainment now… WWE vibes are now legal. It’s over.”
“Think the commissioner is doing his best to channel Bagdad Bob,” a basketball fan quipped.
How bad is the flopping and the subsequent bad officiating? Clips of questionable calls and Shai’s dramatic falls circulated alongside Silver’s remarks.
Shai flopped on every single shot attempt. pic.twitter.com/EGsbp3dUbT
— House of Lowlights (@HouseLowlights) May 21, 2026
It’s so bad that the league MVP had to send out a cease and desist letter to the braintrust behind a game called “Unethical Hoops,” a board game that mocks notorious flops.
Critics of Silver argue the league’s tolerance for exaggeration rewards non-basketball plays and hurts the product during the high-stakes postseason.
But SGA is hardly the first to play soft like this. Former Los Angeles Laker Vlade Divac was notorious for flopping while defending Shaquille O’Neal. He has openly joked about “inventing” flopping as a tactic to counter Shaq’s dominance.
Then there is the alleged “King,” LeBron James, who has made a career of flopping.
The backlash comes as the NBA Finals approach, with many viewers already frustrated by inconsistent whistles and perceived star treatment throughout the playoffs.
