After making the playoffs for the first time in years, the New York Knicks are a team with revitalized energy and hope. The fanbase, who has watched their team fail for most of their existence, finally have a future they can look forward to.
But it wasn’t always that way.
In fact, not too long ago, Gilbert Arenas made a rather shocking statement about the fans that is still making some noise today:
“The whole fan base of the Knicks is stuck back in the 1970s. It shows nobody wants to play for you because you’re the worst fanbase in basketball. If your team would rather play on the road because they’re more comfortable, then that says something about your home experience.”
https://twitter.com/FadeawayWorldHQ/status/1415086195940360192
Obviously, this was a year before the Knicks had their breakout season in 2021. Still, one has to wonder if some of those feelings are still lingering today.
Arenas himself never played for the Knicks, but it’s no secret that New Yorkers can be a very stubborn and prideful people. They expect the best from their teams and aren’t afraid to express their displeasure after a loss.
Whether that has anything to do with the team’s inability to attract free agents is still up for debate, but this offseason could prove to be the one New Yorkers have finally been waiting for.
We’ll see how it holds up, and if the culture within the fanbase will ever “evolve.”
