In a razor-thin 58-56 victory for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the most talked-about moment wasn’t the final score, but Braden Frager’s gesture that sparked immediate outrage.

With 9:32 left on the clock and the Cornhuskers leading 44-38, Frager let fly a catch-and-shoot three with Jeremy Fears Jr. guarding him. He sank the three and taunted Fears Jr., sticking three fingers out in a gun-like celebration with both hands. He immediately received a technical foul but continued playing.

The celebration was very controversial, primarily because Fears Jr. survived a real-life shooting in 2023. He was shot in the leg but eventually recovered and returned to basketball.

Soon after the viral moment, the Cornhuskers and Frager closed out the win, with the substitute scoring nine points, five rebounds, three assists, and four steals. But the controversy did not end there…

Frager took to Instagram and posted a photo of that celebration, captioned, “Fear None.”

This infuriated the fanbase, who spewed immense backlash towards the player.

Braden Frager’s controversial gesture to Jeremy Fears Jr. faces some serious backlash

“Not going to lie, this is not the best way to celebrate post-win. Especially with the history,” commented a fan.

The gun celebration is undeniably infamous in basketball. The NBA has already condemned Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards for replicating it on the court. This recent incident has added another layer to history, irking many fans. 

In Fears Jr.’s case, he was at a residence with his friends when a male gunman entered and fired shots at him and a female friend, according to ESPN. Police said they were not sure if they were the intended targets. The suspect has not been found, as the case remains under investigation. 

“That’s sad, man… Fears must have really gotten to him during the game,” wrote another fan.

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The game was close, and Fears Jr. was imposing himself as well, finishing with 14 points and seven assists. And he has a reputation for being a trash-talker who could’ve goaded the opposition, though this is not a confirmed fact. It is also possible that Frager did not know about Fears Jr.’s situation, and it was just a spur-of-the-moment thing. 

“He had no idea,” theorised another viewer.

The argument against this theory is that his post had comments disabled from the get-go, which suggests he might’ve expected backlash. However, again, that is no confirmation of anything, and Frager has since apologised to Fears in person, according to Husker Online reporter Robin Washut, and deleted that post.

“A lot more mature than a lot of people on this app today, that’s for sure!!” praised a fan after his reported apology. 

Frager was also condemned by his coach, Fred Hoiberg, afterward, but he emphasized that the youngster understood his mistake.

“It is a teachable moment,” Hoiberg told the media. “He will be better because of it. He knew he messed up, but he kept his composure, his teammates rallied around him, and he made some big plays down the stretch.”

Whether to view it as playful or inappropriate ultimately depends on perspective. One fact, though, is that the incident added fire to the game and could fuel a future rivalry between the two colleges.