David West was booed early and often in the opening quarter of his first return to New Orleans since signing with the Pacers this offseason.
update– I just want to clarify that after the first four or five minutes, West didn’t get more than the occasional boo.
David West, a fan-favorite during his eight years in New Orleans, was booed repeatedly early in the first quarter, particularly when making shots. Frankly, I don’t really understand why we’re booing a guy who did more for this organization on the court than anyone not named CP3, but to each their own.
One thing to take from this is that when he returns, Chris Paul is going to get hell from the fans that used to love him. The past in the past, and apparently Hornets fans aren’t particularly kind to those they used to call their own. Today convinced me of that.
He did, however, receive an standing ovation from about half the arena following a video made in his honor after the first quarter. Fans know he’s earned our respect, but as they showed, that doesn’t mean that they are going to show him love for what he’s doing now.
He acknowledged the love from some of the fans with a waive.
22 responses to “David West gets Booed Early in Return to New Orleans”
I kinda wish he got a better reception. I really REALLY dont want the New Orleans fan base to look like the jealous ex girl friend that has made Cavs fans the laughing stock of the NBA fanbase for the last 2 years.
It sucks that he got booed. I was hoping that the fans at the Arena would show him the love for his time w/ the Hornets, but oh well. I understand why they booed. He chose to sign w/ the Pacers of his own free will. We didn’t kick him out. He could’ve re-signed with us, but chose not to. So I get it.
Don’t be fooled by the headline here. The booing was early and almost only early. Once the video retrospective played, and most of the Arena gave a standing ovation to West, it was obvious how most people felt about him and that the booers were a few isolated jerks. Once the game went on, the booing stopped. Of course, so did the Hornets.
Ah, ok. Thanks for clarifying.
First four times he touched the rock he got booed. I guess I could have been more clear with the headline, ad probably should have followed up on the article. I posted it like 5 minutes in.
I have no problem with the booing. D West chose not to be here. I had the opportunity to sit courtside tonight and he clearly hasn’t lost a step as a world class whiner. My gripe with the video tribute, if you’re going to show a clip of him hitting a game winner… show the one of him hitting the dagger against the Pacers. Now that would have insured a standing ovation. I also think Chris Paul will deservedly get the Baron Davis treatment when the Clippers come to the Hive.
I skipped the came and the coverage. Part of that is some stuff I had to get done, part of it was not wanting to deal with D West in another uniform while I had something productive to do.
D West was and is my guy. I’ll find a new favorite player, but there’ll never be another D West for me.
As far as booing goes for D: I can see it going either way for fans. Shockey gets booed.
As far as booing CP3 goes: People here cheer the bad guys if they are `good’. They’ll cheer Chris. Some will boo.
He’ll get exactly 1 standing ovation from me. No more, but no less.
F@#k David West. The organization & fans supported him his entire career, and he left us to play for less money on a team with equal talent level (if all our guys were healthy). Unlike Chris Paul, who put up “thank you” billboards & acknowledged us positively, West trashed us in interviews. He deserves every boo he received.
I somewhat agree w/ you. Sure, he left us high and dry, but let’s be real: no veteran player in his right mind would sign with a rebuilding team, in a small market, with no owner. The Hornets were a mess. That’s why he left, he’s even stated so in interviews. I totally understand where you’re coming from, and you’re right, to an extent, but come on. Let’s not forget all the great things that D-West did for the Hornets franchise just because he’s not with them anymore. D-West helped put Hornets basketball on the map. Without him, the Hornets would probably be in Seattle right now. I love D-West. I’m disappointed he chose to leave, but I totally understand why he did. Let’s not hold it against him forever.
Did Chris really put up billboards in New Orleans?
Yes. Not too far from the arena.
A player that could have retired as the all time leader in points rebounds, games played and several other records as a Hornet and choose to bolt to a team that has little to no chance to win it all, goes to my booing book. I liked him, but hated his desicion. He could have left a legacy in the league by having his 30 jersey hanging from our arena and prefered to go out of the league as another B+ FP who never won anything and wont have any record in his legacy because of his actions.
I really liked him, but his decision make me want to say BOOOOO to him…
i agree..i loved dwest, but indiana is going no where anytime soon…if dwest stayed maybe cp3 stayed? but either way jack,gordon,ariza,west,oak as a starting unit and vasquez,belly,aminu,henry,ayon,kaman would of been a solid team, better than what indiana has
That line up is no where close to what Indiana has at all… Hibbert and Granger are better than any player on our roster. Some will disagree, but i am not counting Eric Gordan because he seems like he has signed out and can’t finish a season anyway.
the BeeZanies were leading the boos and they really need to be scrapped.
DX was nothing but class and he is honestly the face of the Hornets in New Orleans. I wanted to vomit when I heard the boos. What a disgrace.
They were? That’s crazy. When the ORGANIZATION was clearly thanking David with the video tribute, their hired energy is going to attack him? OT of sync, man. Out of sync.
That doesn’t surprise me.. I wouldn’t mind seeing them getting the boot
this year has been gut-wrenching for us. it sucks to have your one-time heros not want you. the mixed response was appropriate, i think. a pure applause or pure boo would have been worse. he meant a ton to us but he ditched us. that video was a gut-check too. and the thought of something like that for cp is even harder.
I was there at the the game and boo’ed the hell out of him while he was playing against us but also stood and cheered for him while they were showing the video.As a Hornets fan I do not agree with his decision to bail on us and the city when we needed him most. I for one truly believe had he stayed things might have worked out differently with CP3 as well. For all of the problems the hornets had and still have now, they still made the playoffs last season and that was with him being out for for a good part of the season. Imagine what could have been had he been healthy and played.The mess that the hornets are in now is the aftermath of DWest and CP3’s decision that they did not want to play here anymore.Those decisions set off a chain reaction to get us where we are now. I will continue to boo him every time he comes back here and I will boo CP3 even louder when he returns and I hope that all the other fans will do so as well. I have no loyalty or respect for players that have no loyalty and respect for the fans.
They made us revelant in the first place… Why show loyalty to a team, its the NBA.. If his knee would not have recovered then the hornets would not have shown him loyalty back. I feel bad for Demps because truly it was bowers that pissed Chris P and D west off the most..
relevant*
I understand why people booed. I wasn’t at the game, but I probably would have booed when he scored points. I’m jealous of the Pacers. I want D west in a hornets uniform. I also would have applauded when they showed the video. It sucks what happened and I’ll let it be known. I’m not gona hate on D West though.