During Game 1 of the Western Conference playoff series opener between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies at Paycom Center, Grizzlies center Zach Edey stepped up to the free throw line.
With the Grizzlies trailing by 12 points late in the first quarter, Edey, a respectable 70.9% free-throw shooter in the regular season, aimed to chip away at the deficit.
Against Oklahoma City`s tough defense, securing points from the free-throw line is crucial. However, Edey encountered an unusual form of opposition as he prepared to shoot.
This included a group of fervent fans, spearheaded by a masked individual with a bare chest adorned with painted Easter eggs above his navel, forming the word `win.` This fan vigorously shook, whooped, and hollered into a megaphone, pouring all his energy into disrupting the shot.
Both of Edey`s free throws missed the mark, seemingly affected by the distraction. The instigator was Garrett Haviland, a renowned OKC superfan known as `Thundor.` The Thunder comfortably won the game.
Haviland, 39, is a leading figure in what Oklahoma City fans refer to as `free throw defense,` a tactic also involving other superfans like `Brickman` and `Thunder Princess.`
When an opposing player steps to the line, Haviland dons his mask, positions himself behind the basket, and unleashes his characteristic `WHOOP,` accompanied by various `yoo-hoo`s and energetic body movements. If a player is sufficiently distracted to look his way, his painted chest provides further visual disruption.
Speaking to ESPN, Haviland explained his motivation: “Who`s to say that the one instance I cause a player to laugh or lose focus, resulting in a missed free throw, isn`t the pivotal point that determines the game? That,” he added, “is the Thundor dream.”
The Thundor persona created by Haviland has become a staple at Paycom Center. Edey is just one among many players who have been unsettled by Thundor`s presence.
Thundor recalls Denver Nuggets center Kenyon Martin as the first player significantly affected by his efforts. During a Christmas Day game in 2010, Haviland, adorned with Christmas garland and a painted tree on his chest, successfully disrupted Martin.
Interestingly, Thundor`s tactics had an inverse effect on Dwight Howard, a player known for struggling at the free-throw line. Haviland described Howard as the most interactive player he`d encountered, saying the center would anticipate his actions and engage with the persona. Over time, Howard actually improved his free-throw success rate when Haviland attempted to distract him.
This season`s most notable reaction came from Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero. When Haviland displayed a chest painting depicting `Banchero vs. Chet Holmgren,` Banchero reportedly mouthed `What the hell?` while trying to decipher the artwork, subsequently missing his free throw.
Despite Haviland`s efforts, the overall effectiveness of these distractions for the home team hasn`t been consistently high during the Thunder`s current playoff run. According to ESPN Research, opponents shot 79.3% from the free-throw line at Paycom Center leading up to Game 1 of the NBA Finals, ranking as the fourth-highest percentage among road venues this postseason.
Haviland commented on the varying impact: “For the most part, players either shrug it off because they`re professionals, or for the few I manage to affect, I really try to make that moment count.”
His journey into superfandom began during the Thunder`s first season in Oklahoma, 2008-09.
Love`s, the convenience store chain sponsoring the Thunder`s jerseys, ran a season-long contest to identify the team`s ultimate fan. Haviland, a native Oklahoman, saw the advertisement and decided to enter. Success in the competition required getting noticed during Wednesday night home games.
During a game against the LA Clippers in November 2008, Haviland purchased the most affordable lower-bowl seats, located directly behind the basket. As he considered how to attract attention, an idea struck him when Clippers center Chris Kaman stepped up to the free-throw line: he would attempt to distract Kaman and cause him to miss.
Although Kaman made all three of his free throws that evening, Haviland wasn`t discouraged. He recognized the potential in his spontaneous idea and started developing his unique antics.
He recalled the evolution: “I started ripping my shirt off, doing belly paints. I just kept ramping it up year after year, experimenting to see what was most effective for distraction.”
Chest painting became a signature element of Haviland`s persona. Depending on the complexity and the artist, a design can take up to two hours to finish. He ensures each design is unique.
Over the years, more than 40 artists have painted on Haviland. During these playoffs, his chest is often painted just outside Paycom Center, frequently interacting with fans. On nights without a specific painting, he still goes shirtless, opting for suspenders.
During a Western Conference semifinals game against the Nuggets this postseason, Haviland`s chest featured a painting of a basketball dunking into a sauce packet. Each time he rushed down behind the basket to attempt a distraction, he`d interact with a fan he`d convinced to provide him with a chicken nugget.
He would then shake his body and mimic dipping the nugget into the painted sauce. If the opposing player missed the free throw, he would consume the chicken nugget.
He recounted, “I ate a lot of chicken nuggets that night.” He humorously added, “And I can tell you, running down a big flight of stairs, eating a chicken nugget, turning around, and running back up immediately is not particularly enjoyable. It`s a very peculiar workout.”
Haviland estimates he takes between 7,000 and 9,000 steps per game and attends almost 95% of Thunder home games. In the playoffs, he covers both ends of the court, resulting in a dash when players shoot near Section 110, opposite his usual seats near Section 101.
In his professional life, he works for a behavioral health company, assisting individuals with developmental disabilities. His role involves supporting their families or staff, providing training on how to best help those with special needs. This job allows him to set his own schedule but requires travel across the state, sometimes up to two hours away from the city.
Consequently, when it`s time to transform into his Thundor persona before a game, Haviland often performs a `Clark Kent` change, typically using a Love`s gas station restroom en route. He enters with his costume and emerges carrying the clothes he was previously wearing, like jeans and a polo.
This process can occasionally lead to awkward misunderstandings.
He humorously shared, “I`m sure people sometimes look at me thinking, `Oh man, that guy just soiled himself.`” He added, “There are moments people give me a side-eye, and I just want to tell them, `No, no, I promise I didn`t poop my pants!` But I just get on with it. Wherever I can change, whatever it takes, I`ll do it.”
Haviland frequently encounters other fans eager to take pictures with him. He`s also often praised for his courage in being willing to remove his shirt.
He shared a personal connection: “When I was a kid, I was bullied, like many others. My defense mechanism was humor.” He explained, “I`d make jokes at my own expense to deflect the bullies. So this is my way of taking something I`m most uncomfortable with regarding my body – my weight – and using it for a positive purpose.”
That positive purpose, in this context, is contributing to an opponent`s missed free throw to help his favorite team, the Thunder, secure a win.
While Haviland recognizes this is ultimately a lighthearted hobby, he takes pride in it as his distinct way of supporting the team. His Thundor persona has also achieved a level of recognition he never anticipated.
He expressed gratitude, saying, “It`s the commitment to sticking with it, watching it grow and change, and especially the support and appreciation I receive from other fans – I truly value that.”
He concluded with his overarching philosophy: “What`s the point of living if I can`t make others laugh and have a good time?”
