Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's Attorneys Send Cease and Desist Over Viral Promo

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just won back-to-back NBA MVP awards, but a loud portion of the basketball world can't get past how he gets to the free-throw line. The criticism has followed him all season, and it's not letting up during the playoffs.

For a lot of fans, the foul-drawing is the story. For Gilgeous-Alexander's legal team, something else just became the story. A promotional stunt by Underdog Sports has turned into a full legal matter involving the Oklahoma City Thunder star.

Underdog created a basketball-themed version of the board game Operation called Unethical Hoops, built around the idea that a buzzer goes off every time Gilgeous-Alexander gets touched for a foul. The company planned to give away 100 copies during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals between the Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.

Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks appeared in the viral ads running on the Unethical Hoops website and social media. The promotion spread quickly online, riding the wave of ongoing debate about Gilgeous-Alexander's foul-drawing habits.

Unethical Hoops, coming soon… pic.twitter.com/ANdHV4JTjr

— Underdog (@Underdog) May 21, 2026

SGA's Legal Team Hits Underdog Sports With Cease and Desist

Gilgeous-Alexander's camp wasn't going to let it slide.

In a May 22 letter obtained by The Athletic, attorney Eric Fishman of ArentFox Schiff LLP sent a cease and desist on behalf of Gilgeous-Alexander, demanding Underdog immediately pull his name, image, and likeness from everything.

"Permanently cease and desist from any and all use of Mr. Gilgeous-Alexander's NIL in any and all media," The Athletic shared. "Including but not limited to your website, apps, social media accounts, digital marketing and advertisements, promotional emails, push notifications, affiliate or influencer placements and any physical goods, including but not limited to the board game advertised on the Unethical Hoops Website."

The letter also demanded all copies of the board game be destroyed and made clear his likeness cannot be used without authorization.

Away from the legal side, Gilgeous-Alexander has kept his composure publicly. When fans in San Antonio chanted at him during the Western Conference Finals, he addressed it directly and said the noise doesn't motivate or distract him. His focus stays on basketball.

With the Thunder still alive in the playoffs, that's probably where things stay for now. The legal matter is in his team's hands. The basketball is in his.

Related: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Responds to Spurs Fans' 'Flopper' Chants in Game 3

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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 10:04 PM.