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Orlando Magic players Noah Penda and Goga Bitadze's pre-game handshake has sparked controversy, prompting fan concerns about its appropriateness. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver faces pressure to address the situation amid other league issues.
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Feb 14, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media during a press conference before 2026 NBA All Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images ©Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Orlando Magic have built a reputation in recent years for fun, energetic, and sometimes over-the-top playful handshakes and daps among teammates. The Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz, are known for a fun, unserious handshake that includes a âmilking the cowâ motion. But during their playoffs, two of their teammates had over-the-top pregame rituals, which called for Adam Silverâs intervention from the fans.
Commissioner Silver currently has his hands full with the Clippers-Kawhi salary circumvention investigation and also the largest gambling scandal in NBA history. He even needs to find a solution for the current tanking problems and figure out the players complaining about the biased referee in the postseason. But now, Magicâs Noah Penda and Goga Bitadzeâs tunnel pre-game celebration before Game 4 against the Detroit Pistons has fans in disgust. They start normally with a standard hand clasp/grip (like a regular dap).
Then the rookie Penda bends down low, bringing his face right up to the back of Bitadzeâs hand. He makes a quick sniffing motion with his nose pressed close, almost like heâs inhaling the white powder. Bitadze laughs and flicks his tongue, encouraging his teammate. From afar, this looks playful, but given the NBA playersâ influence, such gestures are not appreciated. Thatâs why a fan questioned the commissioner. âInappropriate. What about the children? Adam Silver, what say you?â
Noah Penda and Goga Bitadze performed a controversial handshake involving a sniffing motion that some fans found inappropriate.
Fans are worried that the playful yet suggestive gesture could negatively influence children and young fans who look up to NBA players.
Adam Silver is dealing with multiple issues, including a salary circumvention investigation involving the Clippers and the largest gambling scandal in NBA history.
The NBA community has expressed disgust and concern over the handshake, prompting questions about player behavior and its impact on fans.
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The NBA can and does fine players for celebrations if they are deemed inappropriate, obscene, or unsportsmanlike. While players have freedom of expression, the league enforces rules to maintain a âfamily-friendlyâ environment and professional image. Letâs not forget that Goga Bitadze was already involved in NSFW trash talk with Luka Doncic. The Lakersâ superstar complained that the Magic star told him he would âfâ my familyâ. Bitadze, however, cleared the air and denied the accusation, claiming instead that Doncic said something inappropriate about his mother first.
That can be swept under heated moment during the game. But the pre-game handshake ritual is a well-thought-out celebration. Thatâs why the Commissioner could be called into action as the clip is trending on social media.
Speaking about the wrong influence, a netizen wrote that his nephew has started to imitate the same handshake, demanding that Adam Silver âsuspend themâ as soon as possible. âMy nephew saw this, and now their whole 12u is mimicking @adamsilver a real leader would suspend them immediately.â Another fan questioned, âSo we doing coke celebrations now?â
This question is simple and raises the bar for the league to set the right example. Previously, star players like Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, and even recently Suns Devin Booker have been fined for gestures that question the leagueâs integrity. If they can be fined, so can the Orlando Magic players, a fan stated, âFine worthy.â Another reminded, âThe NBA fines Ja Morant for less.â
The league initially warned Morant and Golden Stateâs Buddy Hield after the two mimicked aiming guns at each other. The NBA explicitly told Morant and the Grizzlies that such gestures were inappropriate and would be viewed negatively. Just hours after the formal warning, Morant performed the gesture twice, and Adam Silverâs NBA issued a celebration fine of $75,000 due to Morantâs history of gun-related incidents. But it seems fans have less faith in the commissioner currently.
Because another fan wrote, âadam silverâs nbaâ followed by clapping emojis. This was a sarcastic comment aimed at Adam Silver as the league currently finds itself in the middle of multiple scandals and controversies.
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