The Los Angeles Lakers hit rock bottom this weekend when fans booed the team off the court during a blowout loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. It was an embarrassing display from a Lakers team that has looked every bit of the flawed, aging group they were called before the season.
But according to Draymond Green, Lakers fans should stop and think before they boo LeBron James.
We’re four seasons into LeBron’s run in Los Angeles, and thus far, James has brought the Lakers one title (which took place in the bubble) along with three seasons as non-contenders. Green, though, said that the one title should be enough to command more respect from Lakers fans.
Green said on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show:
“I have to speak on the boos last night. I thought that was insane, to be quite honest. From an organization that’s had so much success to start booing when things aren’t going right. That’s kind of wack to me. And then everyone gets upset if a player comes out and says, ‘Oh, forget them fans.’ Or, ‘They not with us anyway.’ Then everyone seems to get upset and uptight about it. But as athletes, we’re just supposed to sit back and be like, ‘Oh, they’re booing us.’ Quite frankly, most of those people in the arena don’t know how it feels to get booed. And so I guess I can cut a little slack in you not understanding how it feels to get booed by your own. Now, for me, I actually like to get booed. Like when I come into Crypto Arena, boo me all you want. That’s fun to me. The Cavs fans did it all weekend at All-Star weekend. Like, I enjoy it.
“But to get booed by your own fans is very distasteful and disgraceful. And I was shocked to see that… I thought that was pathetic. I thought that was extremely pathetic, and like I said, I thought it was very distasteful from the fanbase of an organization that has the most championships in the NBA. Let’s not be so like spoiled brats. It’s OK to be spoiled. You can 100 percent be spoiled, we all get spoiled by things at times at one point in our life or another, but let’s not be brats. And that was about as bratty as something that I’ve seen, considering that this team just won a championship not even a full two years ago! And now you’re booing? I thought that was utterly ridiculous.”
In the moment, you can understand Lakers fans booing out of frustration. That’s just how it goes when you have the expectations that the Lakers welcome.
But at the same time, the Lakers players would probably prefer their own fans to support and encourage them through tough times rather than joining the chorus of ridicule. They’re solidly in position for a play-in spot, and after that, who knows what can happen?
If the Lakers go on a run (as unlikely as that is), some fans could look very foolish.
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