Is the NBA Gang Related? A Complex Investigation

J.R. Smith reps Bloods, sweat, and tears on his home court kourt.

When a media type reports that an NBA player may be gang affiliated, we typically assume that the reporter snitch is just some jealous old white dude whose diaper is bunching up because he hates seeing a young black man making more money than he’ll ever see in his miserable lifetime. Sometimes, though, the journalist has actually seen Gangland on the History Channel and knows what they’re talking about. Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith (seen above either throwing up a Bloods gang sign, or impersonating a velociraptor) has raised eyebrows recently with his posts on Twitter, a powerful weapon used by gang members to build social networks. Like a true Piru, or someone who missed a couple key days of Sesame Street growing up, Smith has been omitting c’s, which stand for the rival Crips gang, and replacing them with k’s, which stand for potassium on the periodic table.

So, we’re pretty sure that Smith is a straight up knucklehead who’s gonna get himself in deep shit with NBA Commissioner David Stern, who long ago gave up whoo-bangin’ and doesn’t want it anywhere near his league. But what about other players who’ve been known to throw up hand signals for the homies? Complex reads between the signs to determine who’s gang affiliated and who’s not…

QUENTIN RICHARDSON
Suspicious sign: After making any play of slight significance, Richardson bangs his fists against his forehead.
Gang related?: Q-Rich, who was born in Chicago gangland, started throwing up the sign with teammate Darius Miles while playing for the Los Angeles Clippers (Cali is active, mane!). We can’t rule out possible gang meaning, but since he’s spent the past four seasons playing for the woeful New York Knicks, we’d also accept that he was just trying to knock himself out to bring an end to his misery.

PAUL PIERCE
Suspicious sign: The NBA fined P-double $25K for making the “menacing gesture” above towards the Atlanta Hawks after he was knocked down in a playoff game.
Gang related?: Pierce, who grew up outside Los Angeles in gang-infested Inglewood, CA and Boston’s general manager Danny Ainge denied that it was a gang sign, claiming that it was a symbol used between players on the Celtics to represent “blood, sweat, and tears.” Blood, eh? Take another look at J.R. Smith’s finger blast and it’s plain to see that “The Truth” is full of shit.

DOUG CHRISTIE
Suspicious sign: During his playing days, Dougie Fresh, as nobody called him, ran up and down the court flashing a variety of hand signals.
Gang related?: Chain gang, sure. Concerned that Christie might be putting up numbers in NBA gangbangs, his possessive wife Jackie p-whipped him into signing mushy sentiments to her in the crowd during games. The only time Christie reps for bloods is when he’s buying his boo tampons.

NATE ROBINSON
Suspicious sign: Before shooting a free throw, Krypto-Nate does a military-style salute.
Gang related?: Nate Rob is indeed sending a message to his fellow young gunners, but that message is: Yes, it’s really me, Nate Robinson, who you’ve been playing video game shooters against online. Thank you for allowing me to interact with people closer to my own height, even if it’s virtually. Now come find me tonight in the Call of Duty: World At War lobby and test me if you wanna get pwned!

JASON KIDD
Suspicious sign: Before shooting a free throw, J-Kidd holds up four fingers to his mouth and blows a kiss to the basket.
Gang related?: Once upon a time, before it came out that he was beating and cheating on his then wife Joumana, Kidd was said to be blowing her kisses. Either that or he was just showing her the back of his hand.

BARON DAVIS
Suspicious sign: Like Smith and Pierce, B-Dizzle has thrown up a few thumb-to-index “O” signs before becoming famous enough that anyone gave a shit.
Gang related?: Davis, who grew up surrounded by gangs in L.A., is man enough to admit that it is a gang sign. Though he told Complex he’s “not glorifying” gang life, he admitted that he slips subconsciously at times because he “grew up playing with gangbangers.” This also explains why we subconsciously play with our dicks.

DERRICK ROSE
Suspicious sign: The young Bulls star was photographed twisting up his fingers into a Gangster Disciples sign at a University of Memphis party during his lone year there.
Gang related?: Rose, who grew up in the Englewood section of Chicago (are we sensing a pattern yet?), where the Disciples run deep, admits that the photo “appears to depict me flashing a gang sign,” but that it was just a “young, naive” kid making a “bad joke.” We’re sure the GD’s are laughing their asses off.