The Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers will meet in Rio de Janiero for an exhibition game on Saturday and the NBA reportedly wants to make sure that no international misunderstandings take place during the trip.
One potential gesture that is ripe for cultural confusion is the “three-goggle” gesture which some NBA players like to do to celebrate making a three-point shot. The big problem with that gesture? It means something far, far different in Brazil according to Chris Haynes of Northwest Ohio Media Group:
Holding up the “three-sign” or the “three-goggles” in a certain way while in Brazil could be mistaken for “f— you” or “f— off,” I was informed.
The NBA sent the Cavs and Heat a memo with a list of questionable gestures that shouldn’t be used in Brazil, we’re told. The last thing anybody wants is for the stands to clear immediately after a player nails a 3-pointer.
Just think of the amount of hot takes that would spew forth if Chris Bosh made a “three-goggle” gesture after hitting a three against LeBron. No wonder the NBA wanted to ensure that no such incident takes place. Skip Bayless would have enough material to fill a thousand podcasts.
