Unitree's G1 robot shows off its karate moves but proves it cannot handle a push from an NBA star

When the G1 robot from Unitree faced off with NBA star Kyrie Irving during a Dallas Mavericks gathering, things quickly took an unexpected turn.

There are many worldwide who are wary of recent research into robot technology, given the implications of robots taking over all our jobs.

However, the lighthearted tech demo soon became a viral reminder that humanoid robots still have a long way to go.

At the very least, we will be able to stave off the robot apocalypse for a few more years.

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The robot was no match for the NBA star

The moment unfolded during a visit from Unitree Robotics, which brought its compact humanoid robot to entertain the Dallas Mavericks roster.

Standing roughly 4’2” tall, the G1 arrived dressed in a Mavericks jersey and immediately began showing off, throwing high kicks and exaggerated karate-style poses.

The routine was clearly designed to impress, blending martial arts flair with playful showmanship.

At one point, the robot stepped forward as if challenging Irving, squaring up in a mock confrontation.

Irving, who towered nearly two feet above the machine, didn’t hesitate to play along.

Despite recovering from an ACL injury suffered last season, the All-Star guard responded with a single firm shove.

The result was instant: the robot stumbled backward, lost its balance, and toppled onto the floor.

It twitched briefly, then stayed down, drawing laughter from teammates and staff who had front-row seats to the spectacle.

Social media reactions poured in almost immediately.

Some fans joked that the robot had mastered the art of ‘flopping’, while others praised Irving’s strength and readiness for the upcoming season.

A few commenters even questioned the durability of humanoid robots, since even a gentle push (albeit from an NBA player) was enough to send the machine crashing.

The G1 robot is supposedly designed to recover from falls

Of course, there is some serious engineering behind the viral moment.

Unitree has previous shown the G1 robot enduring kicks, shoves, and hard falls in controlled testing, using what it calls Anti-Gravity mode to recover.

The robot relies on a combination of depth cameras, LiDAR, and joint sensors to predict impacts and adjust its balance before contact occurs.

High-torque motors allow it to respond in milliseconds, learning over time how to fall, brace, and stand back up more efficiently.

To be fair to the robot, which is priced at around $16,000, it was never built to take on NBA stars in a scuffle.

Instead, it was designed to survive environments like factories and research labs, and perform various labor-intensive tasks.

The Mavericks moment may have highlighted its limits, but it also showed how far humanoid robots have come.

At the very least, at least the robot apocalypse seems pretty far away.

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