Kevin Durant wants Suns fans to stop booing but is he right?
I was under the assumption that it was okay to boo—that it’s part of the game. Ultimately, Phoenix Suns fans are turning into New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers fans, where we expect the best, and if we don’t see consistent effort, we let the team hear it.
However, there has been pushback against booing here in the Valley from Suns players dating back to last year. When Grayson Allen said that booing doesn’t help, I assumed it was necessary to let the team know they weren’t playing well. But I guess they already know and just need more support.
Kevin Durant recently voiced his opinion that booing from the fans doesn’t help the team, and my initial reaction was to disagree. I felt like the team deserved it! But then I had to ask myself, “Why do I always assume I’m right without considering the other side?”. Maybe there’s more to this than just holding the team accountable. Perhaps, as fans, we should find a better way to push the team to perform while still showing support, even in frustrating moments.
Kevin Durant spent 81 seconds on his relationship with tonight’s crowd.
“Booing has been a part of sports culture for the last 50, 60 years. I think it’s about time we put that up.
I’m sitting there like what the f***, get your ass up.
It’s nothing but love with this fanbase.” pic.twitter.com/5TQDiwU1xw
— Jake García (@Jake_M_Garcia) March 5, 2025
This year, it truly feels like Durant vs. the fans, as he hasn’t held back in expressing his frustration with the disrespect Suns fans have shown the team. He’s made it clear what he can’t stand, and honestly, I respect it. As a fan, I think we can be better, but it wasn’t just Suns fans who had enough. ESPN announcer Stan Van Gundy also called this team “pathetic.”
“This Suns defense is pathetic!”
Stan Van Gundy was NOT happy with the Suns after this Kawhi dunk pic.twitter.com/w4LEsbsseW
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 5, 2025
When outside voices start echoing the same frustrations as the fans, it forces a moment of reflection. Are we being too harsh, or is this just the reality of a team that hasn’t lived up to expectations? Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between.
But you know the one player who didn’t give a rip about the boos and brought the energy to lead the Suns to victory? Collin Gillespie. Boos or not, the plan stayed the same: win the game, play with energy, become the team’s backbone, and try to save the season. He might have heard the boos, but do you really think he cared?
The frustration was aimed at the team, and even as a player, Gillespie felt it too. According to Durant, he was just as frustrated and wasn’t afraid to be vocal about it. Instead of letting the negativity drag him down, he embraced the moment, proving that effort and energy can shift the tide—no matter what’s coming from the stands.
Kevin Durant on Collin Gillespie: “I always love how Collin is poised and he’s a dog. He cares. He was one of the loudest in the locker room after last game, and he ain’t even contribute a minute to that disaster. And he came out and was pissed off after the game last game.” pic.twitter.com/4jepWssCnu
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) March 5, 2025
What we are is pissed, and the only way we know how to show it is to boo. But maybe it is too harsh. Suns fans expect more and deserve better this year, but the truth is, no one really knows how to process these emotions. The frustration, the disappointment—it all boils over in the only way we know how.
But on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, I felt something I hadn’t in months: hope. And with hope, the boos will stop.
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