Before we begin here we should preface this by stating quite clearly: There is absolutely no logical explanation for this. It defies all logic and reason. There was no inciting moment for it. No freak of chance that sparked it. It just happened by itself, out of the blue, seemingly at complete random, and it was weird and beautiful and good. Somehow, someway, for some utterly unknowable reason, NBA kind-of star Brook Lopez became the King of Sydney last night. And it whipped ass.
[jwplayer PW8IGvNL]
Lopez, taking up bench duties for the vast majority of last night’s Team USA vs Canada basketball exhibition game at Qudos Bank Arena, suddenly found himself the most popular man in the stadium.
Despite registering a grand total of 2 points for the game on the back of just 6-odd on-court minutes, Lopez was the star of the show for no earthly reason at all.
After being held off-court by coach Greg Popovich and shown repeatedly on the arena’s big screen, the entire sold-out crowd suddenly decided to anoint him their new King, cheering wildly each time he appeared on court and chanting loudly for him during play.
And when, with around 2 minutes left in the game to play, Popovich finally put Lopez back on court? Absolute pandemonium.
The bizarrely beautiful love story of Brook Lopez and the Australian crowd, complete with M-V-P chants 😂 pic.twitter.com/mCbOlryyR9
— ESPN (@espn) August 26, 2019
Insanity. The absolute state of the scenes there.
Views shot from inside the stands only further solidified the fact that the whole thing was pure, unadulterated chaos. Last night, in Sydney Australia, LopezMania well and truly ran wild.
Accidentally deleted it, so here it is again! ‘LOPEZ, LOPEZ, LOPEZ’ – Australia challenges you to replicate this love for Brook Lopez @Bucks @KanePitman pic.twitter.com/wpNQCmVW61
— Adrian Arciuli (@Adrian_Arciuli) August 26, 2019
Australia loves @brooklopez pic.twitter.com/2zn2LsQEKI
— 𝙽𝙱𝙰 News (@CartoonsNba) August 26, 2019
The Brook Lopez love, you guys, it’s NEK LEV. Sydney has their crowd favourite #usacanada pic.twitter.com/4fTSOzB4Ov
— Melanie Dinjaski (@MelanieDinjaski) August 26, 2019
Just to recap: this was the cheer in the final moments of the game when Brook Lopez got back on the court for some garbage time. Just look at the fans erupting behind him, and he runs on kinda shrugging too like WTF. That was incredible #USACanada @usabasketball pic.twitter.com/R1RPiM9Q4M
— Melanie Dinjaski (@MelanieDinjaski) August 26, 2019
The love for the big man was so overwhelming that he even got asked about his apparent new gig as Australia’s Prime Minister after the game, a role he is apparently ready to humbly take in stride.
Brook Lopez responded to being the new Prime Minister of Australia: “I guess it’s a big responsibility… it seemed the people have spoken.” pic.twitter.com/NmoYJHEwBs
— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) August 26, 2019
A pure, beautiful, inexplicable moment. Sport truly is the greatest thing sometimes.
