Overview

• During a tense fourth-quarter possession, Burke remarked “I don’t know much about history, but I know the French and German don’t like one another” as Rudy Gobert and Isaiah Hartenstein battled in the paint.
• Play-by-play announcer Mike Breen interrupted the booth silence by asking, “What are you trying to start here?” after Burke’s historical reference.
• Burke later described Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a “free throw merchant,” prompting further criticism from online viewers and fellow commentators.
• NBA fans on X (formerly Twitter) responded with memes, laughter, shock and complaints that the remarks were insensitive.
• The comments accompanied Oklahoma City’s 128-126 victory that put the Thunder up 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, a game in which Gobert grabbed seven rebounds and Hartenstein anchored OKC’s defense.