Most fans go to see their teams and their favorite players play with some level of optimism, but when it is not met, the players and the coach are usually blamed. However, NBA legend Charles Barkley feels fans have some blame to take as well.
The former NBA star had been vocal in his distaste of fanbases and amid Barkley’s rash criticism of spectators, research has compiled a list of the topmost annoying fans in the League.
Lakers fans claim top spot in annoying NBA fanbases
Being a fan of the NBA can be frustrating. Fans might have mixed feelings about their team’s performance and how they play on the court.
Recently, a survey looked into the five most annoying fanbases on social media. To figure out which fanbase is the most annoying, a special model analyzed a wide range of fans’ social media posts from the past five seasons.
However, many would not be surprised that the Lakers, Warriors, and Knicks fans topped the list. This was determined using a mathematical model. The Miami Heat came in fourth place, which may be unexpected for some. Despite not having as many fans as the top three, they have remained consistently in the spotlight and generated a lot of discussions over the last five years.
The Dallas Mavericks, on the other hand, may not have a massive local fanbase because their city heavily favors the NFL team. However, with the support of international fans and the popularity of players like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, it’s understandable why they are on this list as well.
Charles Barkley takes Lakers fans to task for blaming Russell Westbrook
Charles Barkley recently criticized LA Lakers fans for blaming Russell Westbrook. Westbrook found success after leaving the Lakers earlier this season and becoming an important player for the Clippers. In the opening round of the last playoffs, he proved his worth in the Clippers’ Game 1 win against the Phoenix Suns. Barkley loves Westbrook’s effort and appreciated a comment Westbrook made about not constantly worrying about his shooting in his new team.
Barkely said, “You know…it’s great to just be somewhere where they don’t worry about my shot all the time!’ Because he does other stuff. You know, they start calling him Westbrick, and with the Lakers, they blame everything on him. The Lakers had a crap team before they made all these trades. But, for some reason, they blamed him.”
Westbrook had been criticized by Lakers fans for the team’s struggles over the past two years, despite the Lakers having a weak roster before the trades. Since joining the Clippers, Westbrook has been content and easily fit into the team within just a few games. Even when he has an off night, the fans don’t criticize him as harshly as they did when he was with the Lakers.
Which fanbase do you think are the most annoying in the NBA? Share your take with us in the comments below.
