If a player says, “I’ll treat home games like road games,” then something is definitely off. That’s exactly what happened with Chandler Parsons back in 2017. He had just signed a whopping four-year, $94 million contract with the Memphis Grizzlies despite being injured. Fans were hopeful, but when he finally stepped onto the court after rehabbing for a season, things took a nosedive. The home crowd greeted him with boos instead of cheers. And in a recent podcast, Parsons shared the story behind that shocking moment.

On The Check Ball Show, Chandler Parsons and the panel were discussing big contracts in the NBA. One of the co-hosts pointed out that Parsons was among those who’d secured a major deal, which he acknowledged. But that conversation quickly shifted to a more uncomfortable topic: why the Memphis fans booed him. “What’s the heat? Is it because of purely performance?” the co-host asked.

When he inked that max deal with Memphis, the team knew he was in the middle of rehabbing a torn meniscus. On top of that, he had already undergone three other surgeries. His recovery kept him off the court for an entire season, and even when he finally returned, he was still struggling, missing another season and a half. Yet, the expectations were sky-high.

Finally, when he did return to play, it was clear that he was rusty. Parsons recalled how things unraveled in his first game back. “I remember when I finally got back in, I played my first game, and I get fouled, and like I missed my free throw, and the whole arena booed me,” Parsons revealed on the podcast. The panel joked, calling him the “Tobias Harris of Memphis.”

Even though he understood the reason behind the fans’ disappointment, the response he got, was more than he expected. In his first season with Memphis, Parsons averaged just 6.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game—far below the expectations set by his massive contract. Despite the tough times, some of his teammates rallied around him, showing their support both on and off the court.

Teammates railed behind Chandler Parsons in his tough time

After a hard-fought victory against the New Orleans Pelicans, where Memphis secured a 103-91 win, the post-game interview took an unexpected turn. Pau Gasol, a 2× NBA champion and a leader on the team, didn’t hold back his frustration with the fans’ reaction.

“I’m not happy with (the booing) at all… Booing Chandler is just booing Mike or booing myself. We are one team, and I don’t know what’s going through people’s minds, but we need to support him,” Gasol said and made it clear that the crowd’s behavior was affecting the entire team.

Similarly, Mike Conley also stepped up to defend his teammate. Addressing the issue, he urged the fans to cut Parsons some slack, reminding them of the serious injury he was recovering from. “I hate to see the boos so early on, that affects him; he’s our teammate and we ride for him,” Conley emphasized, pointing out the need for patience as Parsons worked his way back into form.

“Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.”