After leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to a dominant 4-0 sweep over the Phoenix Suns, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander took a moment to celebrate off the court as well. The MVP favorite targeted his friend Dillon Brooks on social media.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s viral post aimed at Dillon Brooks
Following the series-clinching win, Gilgeous-Alexander revisited that moment in a carousel posted on Instagram. In the final image, the name on Brooks’ jersey had been edited to read “Cancun On” with the number 3 completing the now-famous phrase: “Cancun On 3”.
A playful jab, paired with an equally sharp caption:
The message was clear: Brooks has built much of his public image around being the antagonist, but this time it was Gilgeous-Alexander who had the last word. Brooks, however, took it in stride, replying in the comments with:
The meaning behind “Cancun On 3”
The expression has long been part of NBA folklore. It’s used to joke about teams eliminated from the playoffs ready to head off on vacation. Its origin dates back to the 1998 playoffs, when Nick Van Exel with the Lakers down 3-0 in a series, replaced the usual team chant with an ironic: “One, two, three… Cancun!”
Since then, the phrase has become synonymous with elimination and an early start to the offseason.
Respect off the court between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brooks
Despite the banter and trash talk, there’s still mutual respect between the two Canadian players. After the series, Gilgeous-Alexander made sure to highlight his national teammate’s growth, praising his development.
In the end, between jokes, brooms, and a virtual ticket to Cancun, it was once again Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who got the last laugh.
