Some stories sound like fiction until the details start lining up, and this is one of them. An NBA player, an NFL star’s brother, a luxury SUV, and a West Hollywood hotel valet caught in the middle sounds like a movie plot, but unfortunately, Los Angeles Lakers rookie Adou Thiero’s SUV was allegedly stolen, and the recent arrests in connection with the theft have only complicated things.

According to reports, Los Angeles Rams star Puka Nacua’s brother, Samson, as well as Trey Rose, have been arrested by the LA County Sheriff’s Department over the weekend. Thiero’s SUV was taken without his consent earlier, and deputies eventually tracked the vehicle to the One Hotel in West Hollywood.

There, Nacua and Rose were taken into custody, with circumstances only growing stranger.

Investigators explained that the suspects valeted the SUV and entered the hotel, seemingly not knowing that the vehicle was already being tracked after being flagged.

The suspects were identified by the deputies with the help of security footage, and the arrests were reportedly made without incident.

So far, it remains unclear when or where the original SUV was originally taken, and authorities have not provided any additional details on the initial location of the alleged theft, as the investigation is still ongoing.

The situation drew immediate attention because of the crossover of different sports. Thiero is a second-round pick on the Lakers, and this is an unexpected off-court wrinkle as the rookie tries to find his way into a consistent rotation spot.

On the other hand, Samson Nacua is far more than just the brother of NFL star Puka Nacua. He has a solid football resume of his own, having played alongside his brother at BYU before spending time on NFL offseason rosters and competing in spring leagues such as the USFL and UFL.

For the sports world at large, this set the stage for a wave of online discourse.

“A Diabolical Combination”: How Fans Turned the Arrest Into a Pattern Around Puka Nacua

It didn’t take long for shock to turn into judgment. Within hours of the arrest details surfacing, fans stopped viewing the incident as an isolated mistake and instead witnessed a rapid collapse of Puka Nacua’s and his family’s public image. What stood out most was the speed of the perception shift around Nacua—not over months, but within days.

“He transformed from “idk, nice enough” to some diabolical combination of Shedeur and Michael Porter Jr. in about 72 hours,” one fan wrote.

The comparison is interesting. Shedeur Sanders is known for his confidence in the face of the media, and Michael Porter Jr. became the talk of the NBA offseason for his outspoken takes and controversial opinions.

The conversation widened beyond just one person. Fans looped in the broader family contest, especially with all the heat that Puka himself has had to face in recent months. One comment read:

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“Puka & fam on a generational PR disaster speedrun.”

Instead of sympathy, the dominant sentiment online was one of pure disbelief at how quickly things have spiraled for the wide receiver’s reputation online, and how every new detail seems to worsen the situation.

What fueled the online frenzy was the unusually broad audience. This wasn’t confined to one league’s echo chamber, and NFL and NBA fans united to push the story far beyond a loyal news cycle.

“Crazy cross post day between r/nfl and r/nba lol,” one user joked.

The humor masked a real point, though. When communities of the size of the NBA and the NFL lock onto the same story, the scrutiny is magnified, and narratives can quickly form.

Fans also began pulling up what they saw as warning signs that predated the arrest, with the most cited example being a previous incident. One viewer recalled:

“He did a live stream in his teams locker room even after his teammates told him knock it off and then he tried sneaking Adin Ross in.”

A few days ago, Nacua livestreamed himself in the Rams‘ locker room with teammates, who were heard asking him to stop the stream, sparking internal concern about violating team policy.

To make things worse, Nacua tried to sneak in live streamers Adin Ross and N3on into the Rams’ facility, but was stopped by head coach Sean McVay.

The final layer cemented the dominant opinion online. References to a previous incident involving Samson surfaced, and it did not look good.

“His brother also slapped a fan at a UFL game earlier this year as well 🤣😭.”

After a UFL game against the St Louis Battlehawks, Samson Nacua was seen slapping a fan in the face after being heckled, and was subsequently suspended one game without pay.

He also had to participate in community service events as a part of the punishment.

Now, after his arrest, things seem to keep getting worse for Puka Nacua’s reputation.