Aussie NBA star Andrew Bogut slams decision to ban spectators from cheering at junior championships

Basketball fans and former NBA players have criticized an “awakened” decision to ban spectators from making noise while players take free throws at the recent under-18 national championships.

It is traditional in basketball for opposition supporters to make as much noise as possible when a player takes free throws to take them out of their game.

That was recently highlighted in hilarious scenes in the NBA featuring the daughter of Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan yelling at opposing players as they lined up at the charity line.

In the Australian NBL, fans are often given inflatable clap sticks and giant cardboard heads from players to use in games to keep players off their shot.

However, tournament officials at the under-18 nationals bizarrely put a stop to that by requiring spectators to remain silent during free throws, as they do during service games in tennis.

It prompted Australian ex-NBA stars Andrew Bogut and Chris Anstey to take to Twitter and vent their outrage.

Bogut even claimed that the teams themselves were responsible for gagging their supporters and were threatened with technical fouls.

‘Hearing Basketball Australia has formally warned teams at the Under 18’s Nationals that fans/family/friends must NOT make noise during other teams’ free throws? Referees have given teams warnings in matches,” Bogut wrote.

“Guess what happens when these kids go to college or the pros?”

Basketball fans were stunned by the decision.

‘Ridiculous. When I was younger I loved the loud environment at states/nationals. Made it more important than regular club games,” a former player replied.

“If you can’t make a free throw while being booed, you better choose another sport, it will be a soft society,” another Bogut follower wrote.

Happened in other sports too. Teaching children that there is no such thing as pressure until they reach adulthood is asking for breakdowns and mental failures,” added another.

Former NBA star and current Sydney Kings co-owner Andrew Bogut lashed out at the decision to silence spectators

Fellow Aussie NBA great Chris Anstey shared vision of the under-18 national championships at Brisbane’s Brendale.

In the video, the crowd was animated and cheering until a player lined up to take a free throw, when complete silence fell over the stands.

“I’m in the stadium and can confirm it was quiet when players shot free throws,” Anstey wrote.

‘Ridiculous!! What are we preparing our children for?’

‘I expect noise. Clappers, stomps, inflatable tubes: the stuff they hand out at most games to energize the crowd. It’s not a regional competition, it’s national competition, the best basketball players in Australia.’

Former NBA and NBL star Chris Anstey watched the Under-18 National Championships from the sidelines as spectators were forced to be quiet during free throws

A former player of the Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls and Australian Boomers, Anstey has performed in front of some of the most hostile crowds in the world

Basketball fans were quick to lash out at the decision.

“You can thank the wake community for this…you can find it on the same page as participation medals,” one of Anstey’s followers replied.

‘You are joking. This turns basketball into tennis,” said another furiously.

“We are slowly creating a generation that can’t handle even the slightest adversity, it’s sad to see,” added another.

On the other side of town at Zillmere, it was the opposite of the Indigenous Community Basketball League, a unique competition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

“Zillmere stadium has been so loud I can’t make a phone call there,” one spectator wrote.

“Was at the Indigenous Basketball Association tournament this morning and family and friends sang Sweet Caroline during free throws – so much fun!” Anstey added.