Chicago Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine was a guest on ESPN's First Take on Friday, and things got a little awkward for the high-flyer.
Bulls fans started chanting, “FireGarPax” when LaVine was asked a question about whether he trusts Bulls VP John Paxson to build a winner in Chicago. All LaVine could do was smile and laugh.
On Saturday, LaVine talked about Bulls fans and how the city of Chicago is desperate for a winner:
“You guys know I’m pretty good with the media and being able to move around that,” LaVine said about the Bulls fans’ chants to fire management, via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
“I don’t speak for the fans. Obviously, I think the fans in Chicago have been frustrated. But you guys know me personally, I’m with the team. I’m the one who puts on the uniform and I step in front of the fans and do my job.
“I know Chicago fans get rowdy too. It is what it is. Things happen in the spur of the moment. You just have to deal with it. I appreciate the fans who have stayed loyal. Me personally, I appreciate all the fans who support me and come each game. I feel like I’m somebody they can trust and somebody who puts the work in. I don’t care if we’re down 100 or up 100. You’re going to get the same reaction from me, the same determination to try to win. We’re trying to win. You know me personally. I want to do nothing but win.”
The Bulls went 19-36 in the first half of the season. They are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Zach LaVine has firmly established himself as one of the best scorers in the league despite the Bulls' issues. He's averaging 25.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 44.8 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from beyond the arc and 82.4 percent from the free-throw line.
The Bulls open the second half of the season at home against the Charlotte Hornets. Here's to hoping that the team will be able to put on a more respectable run as the regular season heads to its final stage.