Chet Holmgren is quite fond of Miami. While that is not an unpopular opinion of NBA players, the Oklahoma City Thunder star has a different reason to enjoy playing on the road against the Miami Heat.
While on the “Road Trippin'” podcast with Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye, and Allie Clifton, Holmgren named the Heat's arena as one of his top three road arenas.
“I like Miami, because it’s just, like, empty,” Holmgren said as Jefferson, Clifton, and Frye erupted with laughter.
“We know what you mean, because they come in late,” Frye said, reassuring Holmgren.
Holmgren commented that Miami's arena is “like a drunk…”
“Oh, it’s the best,” said Frye, who played 14 seasons in the NBA. “First quarter, don’t worry about that first quarter.”
“So really as the away team,” Holmgren replied, “you just have to build that lead in the first three quarters and then it just stays quiet for the fourth.”
Holmgren said his top three road arenas, in no specific order, are the Kaseya Center (Miami), Chase Center (Golden State), and the Target Center (Minnesota). Notably, Holmgren is a native of Minneapolis.
Why are Miami Heat fans late?
While it's not something that really gets much attention during the regular season since crowds vary in size and enthusiasm across the NBA from October to April, the Miami Heat's home crowd has drawn the ire of opposing fans and media members for years. Although when gathered together in full, the white-shirt-wearing fans in Miami can be quite loud, they have been called out on multiple occasions for arriving late to games.
Even Jimmy Butler, the Heat's star player, wants the fans to show up a little earlier.
“The worst part, to me, our fans never show up on time,” Butler said in an interview with Complex last month. “They never show up on time. I was like, `Damn, I want it to be rocking from like from the jump ball. Fans, come on, we need y'all.”‘
Media members have also voiced their displeasure with the sometimes sparse stands.
“I'm just a little disappointed in the fanbase of the Miami Heat,” Kendrick Perkins said at halftime of a lose-or-go-home Play-In game in April between the Heat and Chicago Bulls. “It's too many open seats in there.”
“That's not a great fanbase, at all,” Michael Wilbon responded. “It hasn't been. They're frontrunners. They're frontrunners.”
There have been many excuses given for why the Heat fans show up late, from poor parking layouts to traffic, which both seem like plausible reasons for any fanbase to be a tad late. There could also be the excuse that it's Miami, one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world. The Heat have been wildly successful despite their tardy fans, who may just be enjoying a few extra minutes of sunshine and South Florida excitement before entering the Kaseya Center for a Heat game.
Either way, it hasn't had much effect on the Heat's winning at home. While the team did not perform especially well this past season at home, Miami has consistently been one of the better home-record teams in the Eastern Conference over the past few years. In 2021-22, when the team finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference, they also boasted the best home record in the conference (29-12).
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