The Utah Jazz are having a pretty impressive season. Through the first quarter of the 2021 campaign, they have the league’s best record, standing at 26-6 in the West.
While the rest of the world stands in awe of their performance so far, 2x NBA Champion Vernon Maxwell isn’t as impressed. On Twitter, the former NBA shooting guard absolutely laid into the franchise and their fan base, calling them “farm animals,” the “worst place in the world to play,” and insisting that their biggest achievement is giving Michael Jordan a bad case of food poisoning.
It’s understandable to brag and celebrate having the best record in February when your franchise’s biggest accomplishment is food poisoning MJ.
— Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) February 26, 2021
You farm animals from Utah like to say y’all livin rent free in my head & it’s true. Each time I played there for 13 seasons I was insulted, called racial slurs, got spat on. Threaten my kids lives. So yea rent free. It’s the worst place in the world to play at. #TakeNote 🖕🏿 https://t.co/tm7QjsZeuo
— Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) February 26, 2021
Surprisingly, many fans were on board with the criticism with some even calling for the franchise to be moved to Seattle.
— Richard is over it. (@richbenavides) February 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/good_inthehood/status/1365374293601751040
They don’t deserve a franchise. Move them to Seattle.
— EmBee (@CLEEmBee27) February 26, 2021
Utah doesn’t deserve an NBA team. Move that franchise to Seattle to be named the Sonics and give the Jazz name back to New Orleans where it belongs.
— Josh Too Jolly (@JoshTooJolly) February 26, 2021
https://twitter.com/clazzycat/status/1365362872415526914
I whole heartedly hate the jazz. Worst fans and worst state in the world
— Cliff Richardson (@ClifftheCannon) February 26, 2021
I’ve heard this exact same thing from so many other players, so it has to be true.
— Kevin Elliot (@KevinE11iot) February 26, 2021
Utah isn’t the only place that players have encountered racism or discrimination in the past. It exists almost everywhere, in fact.
But there does seem to be a common theme of hate emulating from Utah, as a whole lot of players have described having bad experiences in the area — and Mr. Maxwell is clearly one of them.
As for the situation with Jordan, that is a reference to the 1997 Finals, when some pizza delivery drivers in Utah may, or may not have, tampered with a slice MJ ordered from his hotel. It resulted in the infamous “flu game” that is still so widely remembered today.
No doubt, the Jazz don’t have much going for them in terms of Championships. In fact, they’ve won zero titles since their existence.
This season, however, the team looks in a particularly great position to finally break through the glass ceiling and being to warp the reputation of the franchise and their enthusiastic fan base.
