He's not a thug.
He's obnoxious, narcissistic, rude, and a sore winner.
Most of mainstream America had never heard of him... their only impression is this grown man angrily screaming (talking trash) about how another man shouldn't be talking trash. I mean, stop acting like an idiot already.
Think about it this way...
In every game in every sport, the reporters seek out the hero just seconds after the game-winning shot. They're happy but they manage to act like grown-ups when speaking to millions of people. LeBron James never had a day of college and does this quite well. Richard Sherman brags about his intelligence, brags about his degree (in communications, much less!) yet when given that national platform - He doesn't have the emotional control to not scream in an angry fashion.