Did Josh Giddey Accuse Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Needing to Be Carried by Alex Carusa Just Like LeBron James?

In a viral video circulating the internet, Thunder's recently traded guard, Josh Giddey, was seen ranting and seemingly demolishing his former teammates.

By Natasha Bose

Published on Jun 24, 2024 | 11:16 AM IST | 47.3K

Did Josh Giddey Really Sound Off at The Thunder in Final Interview After Trade?

In this Article

Josh Giddey did not bash his Thunder teammates after the trade
Josh Giddey's real reaction to being traded

Getting angry is one thing, but publicly berating your teammates is another, and fans were shocked to see Josh Giddey doing just that. A recent video that went viral shows Josh Giddey, recently traded for Alex Caruso, harshly criticizing the Oklahoma City Thunder in his last interview post-trade.

In this video, Giddey is seen tearing into his former Thunder teammates, beginning with, "Honestly, thank god, the Thunder traded me; Shai's (Gilgeous-Alexander) aura was getting too much to handle."

It only got worse from there. Giddey even accused Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of needing to be carried by Alex Caruso, just like LeBron James. But did Giddey really say all that after being traded? How much truth is there to this video? Here's what you need to know!

Verdict: Fake news

Josh Giddey did not bash his Thunder teammates after the trade

The account that posted the video about Giddey going off on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a parody account, and the video is an AI deepfake. The account, called Buttcrack Sports, clearly states in its description, "Nothing Tweeted Is Factual And is AI • Satire News + Trolling • Warriors Niners Purdue fan • On Instagram and TikTok too!"

Comments on the post also pointed out, "AI is really trippy af.. lol yall don’t find this scary?" and "I ALMOST thought this was real bro… but the voice kinda gave it away."

The video credits @PlayersVoicee, an account dedicated to creating AI voiceovers of NBA athletes for parody and fake news, making them sound eerily real.

The fake video also shows him claiming they wanted to bench him, even though he was better than Shai. "I guess," Giddey says in the fake video, "He needs Caruso to carry him just like LeBron," followed by a smirk.

The video then takes a darker turn, with a voiceover saying, "But I have to ask, DeMar why were you singing along with Kendrick saying that Drake is a certified ped----le? He did nothing wrong; there's nothing wrong in talking to someone in high school." This alludes to false claims about an inappropriate relationship involving Giddey, which Newport Beach police investigated and found no criminal activity, closing the case.

The final line of the video shocked viewers, with one comment stating, "That last line was WILD lmao." The video ends with, "Chicago I hope you're ready. Hide your kids cause you just traded a defender for an off--der."

Josh Giddey's real reaction to being traded

Despite the fake video, Josh Giddey did respond to his trade for Caruso on Instagram in a much kinder way. The new Chicago Bulls guard thanked the Oklahoma City Thunder organization in a post on Friday, saying, "Stuck with me through the very high highs & the very low lows. You guys know the real me."

His teammates, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaylin Williams, and Chet Holmgren, also wished him well on Instagram. Giddey was traded to the Bulls on Thursday for guard Alex Caruso, who made the All-Defensive Second Team in 2024.

Selected by the Thunder as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, Giddey started in 210 games over three seasons for Oklahoma City. He averaged 13.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game, shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from three-point range.

Giddey had a strong start to his career, making the All-Rookie Second Team and becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.