Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West made some interesting comments that will likely rub fans of the storied NBA franchise the wrong way. West is currently the head consultant for the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors and was recently asked a question about the fanbases of both teams.
West made an appearance on The Jim Rome Show and was asked whether the Bay Area and Los Angeles fanbases were the same. West didn’t hesitate to compare the two giving the edge to Warriors fans for never leaving the games, via Matt Moore of CBS Sports:
“Oh, much better than LA fans, OK? They don’t ever leave the game,” West said. “Once we moved into Staples Center, our fan base changed, I thought. It’s a completely different kind of fan than Los Angeles. Los Angeles has a lot of corporate fans there, whole different people sat in different seats. You can go up to Oracle right now and you’ll see the same fans in the same seats every night. The fans in Los Angeles are great, but I’ve never seen fans like this here.”
Interesting comments coming from someone whose retired jersey hangs in the rafters at the Staples Center. Although West appears critical of the fanbase, the man also known as “The Logo” guided this franchise to the powerhouse it has become.
During his time as the general manager of the Lakers, West was widely regarded as the best in the league at his position in the front office. West helped put together the Showtime Lakers of the ’80s, leading the franchise to five NBA titles and setting up the future with the acquisitions of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
These days, West has moved on to a consulting role with the Warriors after a successful stint as the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies. Golden State is now among the league’s elite in the NBA and coming off their first championship since 1975.
