The Miami Heat have enjoyed a ton of success since entering the league as an expansion team in 1988. In that time frame they’ve won three NBA championships and seven Eastern Conference Championships.
They’ve boasted NBA legends Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway. Legendary coaches Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra have led the team to their seven NBA Finals appearances.
Through it all they’ve also had one of the latest-arriving crowds to home games. In fact it’s believed that only the Los Angeles Lakers have a later-arriving crowd for home games. Late-arriving crowds have long been the norm in South Beach, one of the country’s top tourist attractions.
It’s also caught the attention of Oklahoma City Thunder rising star Chet Holmgren, who during a recent interview says he loves playing in Miami because of the lack of a crowd for most of the game.
Holmgren Takes Subtle Jab At Heat Fans
Speaking on a bevy of NBA related topics during his appearance in the Road Trippin’ Show, the 2022 No. 2 overall pick was asked what road team he likes playing against most, and he said the Miami Heat.
“I like Miami, because it’s, like, just empty. As the away team you just got to build the lead in the first three quarters and then it stays quiet for the fourth.”
Hearing Holmgren say Miami is a tad bit odd when consider the Thunder only make one trip to South Beach per season. But, what’s even crazier is Holmgren isn’t the only player to say the late-arriving Heat crowd is mid at best.
Jimmy Butler Calls Out Heat Fans
Heat star and dynamic two-way player Jimmy Butler, who’s been in Miami since 2019, echoed those same sentiments in a recent interview with Complex. There the former Marquette star let it be known that he isn’t a fan of the late arriving-and at times disinterested crowd.
“The worst part, to me, our fans never show up on time. They never show up on time. I was like, damn, I want it to be rocking from, like, the jump ball. Fans, come on, we need y’all.”
Butler having to implore for fans to arrive on time is something that he shouldn’t have to do, but he isn’t the first Miami Heat player to mention that the crowd is always on CP time.
Holmgren Was Good In First Season On Hardwood
2023-24 was really Holmgren’s first after he missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury. The rangy 7-footer was a key piece in the Thunder landing the No. 1 seed in the West playoffs. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game.
One area he struggled with was the physicality of being the only big man most nights. In an effort to help him, the Thunder officials went out and signed former New York Knicks big man Isaiah Hartenstein with the hope that he’ll bring the brute strength and physicality that Holmgren lacks.
