[Curious Mike Podcast] Trae Young talks about Guarding SGA: “I put my hand on his chest, and I didn’t push or nothing… you would’ve thought I sent an Iron Man hand through his chest.”
Wrong messenger Trae
(My flair is still Ice Trae on Hawks sub ahaha)
Context Trae agreed he’s good at drawing fouls and MPJ wanted to learn how “he can draw more fouls like Jokic Trae and other stars do”. Trae gave an example on how SGA draws them and called it smart.
The full convo he says foul baiting/flopping is a skill in modern nba that guys including him have
do you expect redditors to care about context
Fr hearing this from Mr. I Jump Backwards On My Jumpshots is wild lol
That chair does not look comfortable
Trae is sitting like a shy chick
My mom got a new couch like this, no fucking back support, it SUCKS
Why do moms always be buying seats that are uncomfortable as hell, mine bought this white couch with an almost knitted texture and it was the worst
I’ve never met your mom, but my experience has been that it’s a result of buying furniture based on looks instead of comfort.
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Imagine telling someone back in like 2021 after Trae Young made the conference finals that a point guard from the 2018 draft was going to win 2 mvps and a championship, and it wasn’t Trae Young or Luka Doncic.
That 2 guards in the next 5 years would combine for 2 MVPs and 2 FMVPs and neither would be Trae or Luka.
Or Brunson smh…
Brunson wasn’t really a star in 2021. It was after 2022 season
Man fuck the Knicks
Everything is recorded. Anyone have the footage?
https://www.nba.com/stats/events?CFID=&CFPARAMS=&GameEventID=352&GameID=0022500101&Season=2025-26&flag=1&title=Young%20S.FOUL%20(P1.T2)%20(M.Dagher)
Dam he actually barely touches him
Ooof SGA
Yep, floppy fish sga
Trae sounds like Michael Jackson
Hehe
And I came back and hee-hee
While looking like a DeBarge.
Cmon now Trae. What did Lebron say, “anybody but you!”
tbf the conversation by Trae Young explaining foul baiting with Michael Porter Jr telling him “how do you guys do it” or something. he’s included in the conversation
didn’t steve nash complain about trae’s foul baiting before?
And that’s his favorite player of all time too lmao. Tbf I don’t think Trae was complaining about the move. Acknowledged it as smart on Trae’s part
Didn’t he lose the Hawks a game last season trying to foul bait?
Many times. (Love you Trae)
Just one?
The bulls game, tho that was a foul for most players, refs really switched up on Trae after 22
Trae is a great defender, he single handedly ruined Ben Simmons career with his HoF defense.
Leave it to Reddit to make the cheesiest jokes ever
It’s called repulsor ray Trae
Where’s the LeBron meme?
Playing physical and toeing the line is a part of the defensive gameplan for the Thunder. If you don’t believe me you didn’t watch the series they had against the Spurs. Very clearly a “they can’t call everything” defense, and this happened because they HAD to adjust. That’s why it’s much more infuriating to play against them because flopping is also very clearly a part of their offensive culture
thank u trae, now this sub is gonna prop u up and inevitably do wizards top seed talks cuz u insulted their satan #MoreThanYouThink
This is why watching the thunder is infuriating. They flop on the offensive end and play illegal defense on the other end. Double standard in the same game
Man most of us won’t try to defend it, we’re just kinda sick of everyone acting like it’s only us. Like are you watching guys like Luka and Jokic and calling them out for the same shit? Because they’re doing it. Shai is such a great player that works the system the same way every superstar does, we’re just the flavor of the week to be hated because we got a chip and he got two MVPs
I think it’s overexaggerated tbh, at least in the playoffs. I like watching OKC.
I mean he’s not getting the calls in the playoffs like he does in the season so they’re a lot more enjoyable to watch,
The past 2 seasons, he’s shot literally the same number of free throws per 36 minutes in the playoffs as he did during the season.
Wemby flops all the time, plays dirty, and he’s French… And he’s the darling of the league. Don’t make no sense.
Don’t worry. Tides are turning on him after last years playoffs.
Victor is okay because the nephews that need to bandwagon him NEED Victor
They like you until you win. If you are competitive but not quite good enough to win, they love you. We were loved as the 8 seed. Once you start winning and sending other teams home, they don’t like you anymore.
Its funny because the complaint boild sown to Shai actually plays hard on D and the other guys dont.
Yup. If you watch any NBA basketball game, you’re watching multiple players do it every night. So let’s just stfu with the performative bullshit about this one guy. Drawing fouls has literally been a celebrated skill from the inception of the NBA.
I think it’s less the player and more the team. Thunder as a whole seem to embrace the “you can’t call everything”. I hate it, but I get it at the same time
It is the massive disparity in how the offense and defense gets called that is people’s issue with the Thunder. Yes, Jokic flops like crazy. But no, the Nuggets do not get to play prison ball on the other side of the court.
“Massive” is crazy. We have physical defenders and that shit is adored until it’s your team that loses to it
Of course they don’t Aaron Gordon is their only good defender.
oh y’all care, the fanbase is crying all over this thread
The standard Thunder fan response “but Luka”
The standard Lakers fan response that is now in country club pergatory
For every flop there’s about 20 incredible plays.. you’re just looking for what you want to see
It’s funny you think that person actually watches thunder games. Guaranteed they just see clips and repeat talking points from the comments they read.
Shai can have an absurd game shooting multiple fade away jumpers, insane layups, and incredible defense but since he fell down twice he’s a bum
Yep, that’s Reddit. All negativity all the time.
It’s such an ugly playstyle, they’re good players but its constantly overlooked due to their bs antics.
Cason Wallace openly grabbing and holding TJ McConnell’s hand while TJ begs for a call is a wild memory.
unrelated, but Google ‘Cason Wallace’ for a quick chuckle
Omg this is the first time I’ve ever seen this sentiment posted online. You’re so fucking wise and not at all a brainless parrot that can’t form their own opinions.
it doesn’t help that the fanbase is one of the worst crybabies in the league
Hmm I wonder why 🤔
Yup, and SGA doesn’t need the whistle either. I bet if the Refs stop calling it, he’ll adapt and score the same. It’ll be a more entertaining basketball, and probably more reliable in the playoffs. But can’t blame him since flailing is the most efficient way of scoring right now.
Also, the effect it has on the other team for the rest of the game I think isn’t mentioned enough. It puts the other team’s guard into foul trouble, so they either have to sit, or they play less aggressive defense for the rest of the game allowing sga to score regularly easier
Their fans defending ts makes me so mad lmao
direct that anger towards the refs and league instead lmao, ofc thunder fans will defend their guys
Nah I’m still allowed to be mad at the players leaning into that garbage and ruining the product
How you watching the games? I haven’t seen an OKC game in 2 years because of SGA making it u watchable.
Back to back MVPs have you full tilt then huh?
Lmao, thunder fans look like AI with always the same answers
🧹 🧹 🧹
Stay tilted son. Maybe Luka can get top 5 in votes this season, make you feel good about losing in the first round.
all those AI thunder fans unlike you with your totally original take on this and these comments talking about thunder fans and the team flopping, just totally unique stances, crazy
Take that emotion and use it to do something with your life instead
“It’s infuriating because I just gotta appease the Reddit hive mind!!!”
Just say you’re envious the Thunder are a great team kid
You don’t call your own calls in the nba….
Doesn’t make it less annoying/more enjoyable to watch. They should do it if it’s allowed, but the league and the officials needs to be better to not allow it, because it would make for a better product
But blame the refs not the players. Refs could easily cut that shit out if they stopped rewarding players for it
Obviously the NBA wants the big media market of OKC to be dominate and in the finals.
and play illegal defense on the other end.
Dort is now gone so a lot of that will now be gone too. I never liked the way he basically manhandled other players like Luka etc, especially after “getting a taste of your own medicine” by having to watch Castle and Harper manhandle SGA all series
SGA shouldn’t even be in MVP conversations when he plays like that
It’s basically cheating and a lame ass way to play
Trae saying this is hilarious
He kinda sounds like Michael Jackson when he talks, I wonder if he can sing lol
Trae Young guarded someone?
That’s why you’re ringless.
When Trae Young calls you out for flopping….
This how I feel when I watch Trae and he baits people behind him on drives
Trae is a worse flopper but he’s 6’1 so he gets a pass.
How tall is 5 6’1?
whoops. thought was 5 11 but forgot to delete the 5.
Nah. SGA is a grand master great dragon flopper.
Listen SGA deserves the smoke for his flopping habits but cmon man Trae Young? Was Harden busy?
pot calling the kettle black
Lmao body part moving on its own is crazy
Game recognize game
Fellow players don’t respect that foul baiting style of play
It’s hilarious how no players respect fta
Bro sound like Michael jackson
Why tf is Trae sounding like that?
You new to the nba?
Um he normally doesn’t sound like that
Right message, wrong messenger
Im a firearms guy, and you see guys who have reaction times that are unthinkable
Like easily 3 shots per second while shooting accurately
The aame way they train to be aimed and ready to react the instant that trigger is fully reset, is the same way SGA trains to flail his entire body the instant he feels a modicum of physical contact
finish the sentence “other than Steph Curry”
that’s hilarious
Floppers gonna flop
Heartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point
Reddit’s assessments about the Thunder are out of touch with reality you’d think they were bitching about the Wolverine game despite never playing it.
No I won’t engage with this, muting this
MPJ needs to get chaise chairs so his tall asf guests can put their feet up. I love MPJ with my soul, but it’s funny how every few minutes he has to humblebrag about his wealth and success. In this same pod, he was like “sometimes I forget that I’m not a normal person, and I be trying to go places solo. But I’m a multi-millionaire, I should have a body guard lol but I’m cool like that” 😎
He also puts way too much emphasis into how he was the best player in the nation in high school. He said he was hurt for not being the #1 draft pick…and sometimes it seems like he really lacks humility. Sometimes you’re not gonna be the best, but you can do your best. Acknowledging flaws is part of growing up.
I still love him 😍😍 and hope we get him back! He’s just gonna get himself caught tf up by being a hoe and not listening to mentors. I know DeAndre Jordan and Westbrook both put significant time into trying to mentor him.
the hardest part is training the refs to learn your moves and give you those calls. Steph is a great example of someone that will never get this call because he didn’t “work” on it early
No the hardest part is actually seeking contact
Curry doesn’t get calls because he avoids contact rather than going to players bodies and selling contact, even when he tries to do that it’s unnatural and looks bad, Jokic looks awful doing it too
Kyrie is also similar to Curry as a guard, Kyrie is one of the best finishers ever, insane handle, he finishes around people instead of going at people and has never even averaged 5 free throws
Drawing contact is a skill, there’s a reason even role players like Mathurin are better than actual top tier stars
There’s difference between drawing contact and exaggerating contact too. For example SGA exaggerates slightest of contact. Which makes defence play him really light so even when contact is made it’s minimal. Luka for example baits fouls and draws contact head on. Reason why he’s injured quite a bit, players who absorb a lot of contact tend to be injured more often. Shai isn’t injured much because he exaggerates the tiniest amount of contact. Jokic is the same as Shai he’s massive and exagerrates tiniest of contact not to the same extent as Shai though.