The Most Annoying Gesture NBA Players Do (and It Needs to Stop)
Today’s NBA players do a lot of things that annoy me. From the constant complaining to the referees during games, to the lack of movement/effort when off-ball (or on the defensive end of the floor altogether), much of the average NBA game, I have a lot to complain about.
Putting themselves above the team, many of today’s players are more concerned with their personal “brand” and raising the value of their own name. One of the ways players can do this is to be “trending” on social media or to go “viral” with a big play from a game. While many times this can be a big dunk or last-second shot to win the game, some of these moments can be manufactured. GIFs of gestures and trash talk regularly get traction online and a meme can last for years so I understand the method behind this.
While many of these gestures become signature moves for players, with some of them becoming bigger than the original player to do it and get copied from others all over the league. Gestures such as Carmelo’s 3-pointer to the head and D’Angelo Russell’s “Ice in My Veins” celebration are used today from multiple players anytime a 3-pointer is made or a player capitalizes on a “clutch play” late in the game. These two are overused, but expected. I’m always delighted to see another person come up with an original take on celebrating big moments, but originality is not something regularly awarded in the NBA, so players will stick to what has worked in the past and try to get some clout off of moves that have worked before. It’s too big of a gamble try something new when the overdone will “check the box” just the same and have you trending on Twitter or Reddit.
Carmelo Anthony’s 3-pointer celebration & D’Angelo Russell’s “Ice in My Veins” celebration
Having said all of that, one gesture that I cannot ignore is the “too small” gesture.
The "too small" gesture, which involves a player using their hand to indicate that their opponent is too short or to defend them, has been a part of NBA culture for decades. While it was an entertaining and occasionally effective taunt in the 1990s and 2000s, the gesture has become tiresome and redundant in today's league. Once a symbol of genuine skill and confidence, it now feels overdone and nonsensical.
As a kid, I remember when stars like Allen Iverson and Gary Payton used it to highlight their dominance over a defender. This move wasn’t used with regularity; the move was a statement, showcasing the player's skill and sending a clear message to the opponent as well as everyone in the arena that they were outmatched. This form of in-game taunting added an extra level of excitement when it was used. It was the “heat check” before the majority of shots became 3-pointers.
In recent years, however, the "too small" gesture has lost its novelty and effectiveness. As more and more players adopt the move, its impact has diminished, and it now feels like a tired cliché. Instead of being an occasional, powerful display of superiority, the gesture has become a routine part of NBA games, diluting its original effectiveness. The gesture should never be used to humiliate someone already smaller or less imposing that the person that just scored. That defeats the whole purpose of the taunt.
Furthermore, the "too small" gesture no longer makes sense in the context of today's NBA. The league has evolved, with an emphasis on exploiting mismatches with targeted pick & rolls allowing the ball-handler to matchup with the weakest defender on the court. As a result, size mismatches are sought out and besting your chosen defender leaves the gesture less significant. If you chose this person - YOU BETTER DOMINATE THEM!
This is not the league of man-to-man defense anymore. Before the 2001-2002 season, zone defenses were rare because of the league’s illegal defense rules, and man-to-man matchups were game-long wars that, many times, led to the better performance getting the win for their team. I always remember shooting guard and center were the positions to watch because those were where the battle were happening on both sides of the ball. Who was going to guard Jordan, Drexler, Mitch Richmond, Iverson, Sprewell, Reggie, Kobe, Ray Allen, etc.? Who was going to try to attack Hakeem, The Admiral, Shaq, Ewing, Zo, Motumbo, Camby, etc.? You stop Jordan? My friends and I were talking about it all day at the school the next day. You get a dunk on Mt. Motumbo or Hakeem? I’m getting your playing cards for the next few weeks and showing them off to my friends.
There were real stakes in these games and fans could feel it. That’s why a well-timed gesture, could be a water cooler topic for days. Jordan effectively used a shrug after hitting six 3-pointers in the first half of game against Portland. Other players have used the same gesture, but it always reminds (older) fans of Jordan. It’s not overused, but it’s probably too subtle for today’s NBA.
In today’s NBA, players that let their game do the talking is rare. At the top of my head, it’s Kawhi, Durant, Dame, Jokic, Jrue Holiday, SGA, Steph, and Klay. The vast majority of today’s players would rather get in someone’s face yelling, rock an imaginary baby, scream “and-1” under the basket after every layup (where the microphone is), or put their hand near their knee trying to tell people that that last shot went in because their opponent was too short to guard them.
Given its overuse and lack of relevance, it's time for the NBA and its players to move on from the "too small" gesture. Instead of relying on this outdated form of trash talk, players must celebrate their skills and achievements in other ways. The league would benefit from fans encouraging creativity among its players, leading to more genuine and memorable moments on the court.
The "too small" gesture has had its moment in the NBA, but its time has passed. What was once an entertaining and effective taunt has become tiresome and irritating in today's game. It's time for the league to embrace new forms of expression. Leave the cringe-worthy moments to the guys that cling to them… I’m talking to Trae Young, Russell Westbrook, Pat Beverly, LeBron James, Ja Morant, and others that fake machismo and repeat the same tired flexes and trash talk just to look cool on TikTok for kids.
