Pat McAfee delivered a WWE-style promo during Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Finals, injecting a jolt of energy into the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. As the Indiana Pacers clashed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in a tightly contested series, McAfee seized the spotlight during a fourth-quarter timeout. The former Indianapolis Colts punter and media personality grabbed the mic and immediately electrified the home crowd with a fiery, wrestling-inspired speech, even calling out Stephen A. Smith in the process.

McAfee looked to rally Pacers fans with trademark intensity. Consequently, with tensions peaking and the Finals hanging in the balance, McAfee’s performance went viral almost instantly. It added another layer of drama to an already heated Game 4 showdown.

Channeling the theatrics of a main-event heel turned hometown hero, McAfee fully embraced the underdog narrative. “Oklahoma City was favored by 6.5 points,” he shouted. “That makes us the biggest underdogs in the history of the NBA Finals!”

He didn’t stop there. though. Cameras caught McAfee calling out ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith by name, slamming the oddsmakers, and declaring Indiana’s fanbase the best in sports. In response, the crowd erupted, echoing his passion as the final minutes ticked down.

Undoubtedly, it was vintage Pat McAfee; loud, charismatic, and unfiltered. However, while the building buzzed with energy, it wasn’t enough to shift the momentum on the court. The Thunder, fueled by a late surge from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, stormed back to pick up a 111–104 victory, evening the series at 2-2 in the process.

After the game, reactions poured in. Some Pacers fans joked that McAfee’s speech “jinxed” their chances.

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Meanwhile, Kendrick Perkins, a former Thunder center who also works as an ESPN analyst now, fired back at McAfee after the game. “We don’t need nobody on the mic to get OKC hyped,” he said on NBA Today. “That building speaks for itself.”

Ultimately, Game 4 wasn’t just an NBA Finals clash, it became a battle of energy, emotion, and viral moments. And although the Pacers suffered the loss, McAfee’s promo may go down as one of the top moments from this series.

With Game 5 looming in Oklahoma City, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Pat McAfee lit a fire, but now it’s on the Pacers to deliver, because if they want to bring home their first NBA championship, the time to make a statement is now.