{"id":2604687,"date":"2026-05-19T19:27:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T23:27:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-newspaper-pulls-jewish-writers-op-ed-praising-okc-thunder-and-israel-for-thriving-against-bigger-rivals\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T19:29:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T23:29:06","slug":"oklahoma-newspaper-pulls-jewish-writers-op-ed-praising-okc-thunder-and-israel-for-thriving-against-bigger-rivals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-newspaper-pulls-jewish-writers-op-ed-praising-okc-thunder-and-israel-for-thriving-against-bigger-rivals\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma Newspaper Pulls Jewish Writer&#8217;s Op-Ed Praising OKC Thunder and Israel for Thriving Against Bigger Rivals"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Foklahoma-newspaper-pulls-jewish-writers-op-ed-praising-okc-thunder-and-israel-for-thriving-against-bigger-rivals%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2604687&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>the Oklahoman published a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >guest op-ed making<\/a> a comparison between the NBA\u2019s Oklahoma City Thunder and Israel,then removed it after it drew backlash. The newspaper said the piece was mistakenly published as its approval policies weren\u2019t followed, and that the content didn\u2019t meet its opinion standards upon review. It apologized for any distress, but the internet kept the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nyt-finally-admits-what-we-therapists-have-known-for-years-weed-makes-people-insane\/\" title=\"NYT Finally Admits Weed Makes People Insane\">op-ed circulating<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The author, Eitan Reshef, said the comments resonated with him as both an Oklahoman and a Jew and argued that the Thunder\u2019s success is what attracts criticism. He also said the response he received included personal attacks and threats, though he maintained he had no regrets about engaging in disagreement.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Comparing the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder to Israel did not go over so well.<\/p>\n<p>A Monday op-ed in The Oklahoman, the state\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-media-begged-for-local-investment-in-journalism-then-a-conservative-bought-the-baltimore-sun\/\" title=\"The Media Begged for Local Investment in Journalism. Then a Conservative Bought the Baltimore Sun.\u00a0\">largest daily newspaper<\/a>, made that comparison and was quickly sent into limbo.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn May 18, we mistakenly published a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/george-clooney-pinpoints-when-he-lost-faith-in-biden-not-working-at-his-best-to-say-the-least\/\" title=\"George Clooney Pinpoints When He Lost Faith in Biden: &#039;Not Working at His Best, to Say the Least&#039;\">guest opinion piece<\/a> that did not meet our opinion standards,\u201d the newspaper <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklahoman.com\/story\/opinion\/columns\/guest\/2026\/05\/19\/why-we-removed-an-op-ed-comparing-the-oklahoma-city-thunder-and-israel-opinion\/90078750007\/?gnt-cfr=1&#038;gca-cat=p&#038;gca-uir=false&#038;gca-epti=z113003p003450l000550c003450e1150xxv113003&#038;gca-ft=31&#038;gca-ds=sophi&#038;taid=6a0c8c8ab4da5300017aff07&#038;utm_campaign=trueanthem&#038;utm_medium=social&#038;utm_source=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">wrote<\/a> Tuesday by way of explanation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe op-ed has been removed, and we deeply regret any distress this may have caused,\u201d the newspaper wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Although the newspaper sought to nix the op-ed, the internet ensured it was still around.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s NBA Playoffs season, and once again as fans are glued to their televisions. There is something strangely familiar abrew between the online keyboard warriors and the voices of punditry as they respond to the continued dominance of the Oklahoma City Thunder,\u201d Eitan Reshef wrote, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/articles\/oklahoman-publishes-deletes-op-ed-203121551.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Yahoo Sports<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA young, disciplined, strategically crafted organization, impeccably drafted and relentlessly adherent to a culture of selflessness and community, suddenly finds itself resented. The greater the Thunder\u2019s success becomes, the more critics seem determined to diminish it or even root for its demise,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs both a fiercely proud Oklahoman and a Jew, the parallels between the Thunder and the nation of Israel are difficult to ignore. Neither was supposed to become what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The op-ed was accompanied by an image of a basketball with the Star of David upon it.<\/p>\n<p>Reshef, a native Oklahoman, is a former advertising agency CEO who lives in Chicago.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Thunder are not hated because they somehow gamed the system,\u201d Reshef wrote, <a href=\"https:\/\/forward.com\/news\/sports\/826246\/okc-thunder-israel-article-deleted-backlash\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Forward<\/a> noted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are hated because they mastered it. Israel is not obsessively scrutinized because it failed, but due to its success despite deeply-rooted envy and darker historical motives,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Reshef said the response he received included a flood of personal attacks.<\/p>\n<p>However, he said he had no regrets.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can disagree with each other \u2014 we should disagree with each other,\u201d he said. \u201cI treasure that value. I\u2019m willing to step up to the plate, talk to anybody. 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