As the NBA world processes Devin Booker’s pointed criticism of a referee, former player Rashad McCants has added fuel to the fire with a specific allegation tying an official to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. “In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight, through and through.” Booker’s postgame jab helped amplify an ongoing narrative about referees allegedly favoring SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder- one that recently resurfaced after a separate shoe-related incident involving an official. McCants seized on that moment and pushed the conversation further.

“The same ref that’s wearing the SGA sneakers, he has the ones that you can’t even order online,” during the recent edition of the Gil’s Arenas, McCants stated. He repeated, “He got the ones you can’t even order online. James need to go ahead and stop the bulls–t, James out there bulls—ting. They calling the police on him this time. ‘James, come here. Come on outside. Put your hands up. We got you.'”

Another Gil’s Arenas member, Nick Young, piled in on the joke and mocked how the referee would ask SGA for another favor.

“‘If you give me another pair, you know what I’ll do. Send me a box. I guarantee you’ll get to the final.'” This wasn’t the first time McCants has taken aim at OKC’s style of play. “Their identity has been exposed. Their identity is – ya’ll outplaying guys by fouling and hacking and the refs are allowing them to do certain s–t.”

Despite that earlier criticism and his doubts about their ceiling, the Thunder went on to secure the No. 1 seed in the West. However, McCants’ latest claim falls apart under scrutiny. The referee he referenced was misidentified- James Williams, who assessed Booker’s technical, was not the same official seen wearing SGA’s signature sneakers.

That moment actually involved Karl Lane during a separate Lakers–Mavericks game unrelated to either the Suns or Thunder. While the sight of an official in Shai’s Converse SHAI 001 “Charm Black” sparked online chatter, it ultimately complied with league rules requiring referees to wear all-black shoes, making it a non-issue. This new incident once again places a referee and the Thunder at the center of controversy, but without a direct connection between the two situations.

Now, Devin Booker himself called out Williams by name for the overall performance (including the tech after the ball hit Jaylin Williams), but he didn’t mention shoes. And no evidence of James Williams wearing SGA Converse (or anything unusual) in Game 2 has come to light.

It appears McCants connected the dots incorrectly, merging two unrelated incidents into one narrative. Booker’s frustration, meanwhile, remained focused strictly on the officiating.

Devin Booker’s rant puts the spotlight on the NBA

The incident transpired in the third quarter of Game 2 between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Jaylin Williams bumped Devin Booker out of bounds. And the Suns’ star flipped the ball backward in an attempt to keep it in play. But the ball struck Williams, and the officials initially called a blocking foul on the Thunder. But then Alex Caruso began asking for a technical. Referee James Williams complied, reversing the call and assessing the tech on Booker, and apparently never provided any explanation.

Postgame, Devin reiterated his frustration, calling Williams’ performance “terrible tonight, through and through,” and questioning the integrity of the game.

“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight through and through,” he said. “It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as the WWE if they’re not held responsible.” Even Suns owner Mat Ishbia matched Booker’s sentiment.

“I am 100% behind Devin Booker here. Last night was not a good look for our league,” Ishbia wrote. “Let me be clear, we didn’t lose because of officiating, but that doesn’t make last night any less important. If the referees are going to demand respect from the players – as they should – then the players should demand respect from the referees.”

Coming from one of the league’s most composed, low-drama stars, Booker’s comments carried significant weight.

And even Stephen A. Smith acknowledged that while Booker stepping out of his usual lane and calling out James Williams by name was “out of the norm” and not his M.O., the depth of his frustration was understandable and worth taking seriously.

Smith stopped short of endorsing Booker’s approach, agreeing that he’ll and should be fined for naming the referee, but he also questioned whether the technical foul was justified and suggested that incidents like this expose a broader tension: players are expected to respect officials, yet often feel they have no recourse when they perceive the integrity of the game slipping away.

In that sense, Booker’s outburst, backed by Suns owner Mat Ishbia’s strong public support, wasn’t just a moment of frustration- it became a pointed critique of how the NBA handles accountability for officiating, with the fear that unchecked inconsistencies could push fans to see the sport more like an entertainment spectacle than genuine competition.