Dennis Schröder was sitting in a car with streamer N3on when the question came up. Who in the NBA is the biggest hacker? You know, the guy who constantly fouls and just gets away with it?
Schröder didn’t hesitate. “OKC. The whole team.”
He went further. He said it’s crazy how the Thunder don’t get called for it. “They play like that all season,” Schröder said, and somehow the whistles just don’t come. The clip spread fast, and the internet did what the internet does — picked a side.
Schröder’s Take Has Some History Behind It
This isn’t some random potshot. Schröder spent parts of two seasons in Oklahoma City. He knows the system. He knows the personnel. And he knows how physical that team is on the perimeter. Under Sam Presti and coach Mark Daigneault, the Thunder built a whole defensive identity around being disruptive, handsy, and relentless. It worked well enough to win a championship.
But around the league, there’s a running gripe that OKC gets away with more than most. Schröder just said out loud what a lot of players apparently whisper in huddles.
He Didn’t Leave It at the Jab Though
Right after calling out the whole franchise, Schröder flipped the script. “I love OKC, though. I played there. Best GM in the world,” he said, nodding to Presti. “Very smart guy.” So it’s not hate. It’s more like a brother calling his brother out for getting away with something at the family dinner table.
Schröder plays for Cleveland now after a midseason trade. He and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have had moments before — last season they were both in the middle of a messy Pistons-Thunder game that saw five technicals and an ejection. But this latest comment feels less like beef and more like a guy being honest in a casual setting.
The Thunder have heard this kind of criticism before. It’s not going to change how they play. And Schröder probably isn’t losing any sleep over it either. He said his piece, gave his props, and moved on.
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