Kristin Chenowethmay be Broadway royalty, but NBA fans were less than enchanted by her national anthem performance. TheOklahoma-bornsinger and Tony Award winner performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" during Game 7 of the2025 NBA Finalsbetween theIndiana Pacersand theOklahoma City Thunderon Sunday, June 22. Dressed in an Oklahoma City Thunder graphic T-shirt and silver embellished boots, the "Wicked" star sang in her distinctive musical theater tone. Toward the end of the anthem, Chenoweth, 56, held a long, opera-style high note to applause before concluding her rendition. Many viewers at home weren't quite sold on the showtune flair. KRISTIN CHENOWETH SINGS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM 🤩PERFECT WAY TO TIP OFF GAME 7 ON ABC!pic.twitter.com/BVUEcNmD8L — NBA (@NBA)June 23, 2025 Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sing'For Good' in first 'Wicked: For Good' trailer "This is the worst National Anthem I ever heard,"one user wrote. "They got a opera singer doing the national anthem I'm done,"another wrote. "Listening to the national anthem at that part,"one user captioned a gifofNeNe Leakesseeming visibly taken aback. "They shoulda invited that girl who sang the national anthem in Spanish to sing there,"one fan chimed in, referring to R&B singer Nezza's recent performance of"The Star-Spangled Banner" in Spanishat a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game. Celebrities tell all about aging,marriage and Beyoncé in these 10 bingeable memoirs Though everyone didn't share Chenoweth's love for musical theater, her Oklahoma City Thunder stillpulled off a winto take home the city's first title, defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91. One userin their criticism called back to one infamous rendition of the national anthem, adding, "this national anthem up there withfergie." Fergie's 2018 performance at the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles drew much criticism at the time, leading the singer to explain toTMZat the time, "I'm a risk taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn't strike the intended tone. I love this country and honestly tried my best." Other recent notorious interpretations include country music singerIngrid Andress, who performed the national anthem "drunk" at the MLB Home Run Derby in 2024, and Public Enemy rapperFlavor Flav's version at aMilwaukee Bucksgame in 2023. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Kristin Chenoweth sings national anthem at NBA Finals, earns backlash