Kings "Hate" a Symptom of Success

Reigning NBL MVP Xavier Cooks hit headlines over the weekend with his ‘Sydney against the world’ comments to News Corp.

The Kings approach the Championship Series as red-hot favourites to defeat a resurgent New Zealand Breakers, and Cooks – who also won last year’s Finals MVP award – once again holding the key to his side’s hopes.

A championship winner in his own right with Melbourne United in 2018. Peter Hooley says the perceived dislike towards the Kings is a result of their success over the past two years.

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“Let’s be honest, if you’re not a Sydney Kings fan, player, or involved in the organisation you don’t want them to win because they won last year. They’re the benchmark,” Hooley said.

“That’s what always happens. Any time a team is successful for an extended period of time – not just a once off championship – that’s when everybody wants to see them fall down. We’ve seen it all over the world.

“He’s walked the walk for some time now and he’s had a tremendous 18 months in his career, so why wouldn’t you?

“The Kings are the benchmark, they won last year, they’ve reloaded and finished top, they’ve got home court advantage in the Championship Series.”

As part of his wide-ranging interview with News Corp, Cooks stated the impact of fans negatively discussing his team on Twitter, saying that he “doesn’t care” about the social media side of things.

Hooley has attempted to cool the potential war of words between Cooks and fans of the Perth Wildcats, saying that social media is a place where you can find discussion points on anything and everything.

Related: Love Them, Hate Them: Kings Don't Care

“You can find whatever you want to hate out on Twitter, you just have to go searching for it,” Hooley said. “I saw someone on Twitter who hated Air Bud the other day.

“He talks about how proud he is of the things they’ve done in Sydney, it’s true. If you take away the ‘if you hate the Kings’ - the market they’re trying to break into and how they’re doing is, you have to give them massive kudos for that.

“In the end I think Sydney will be the team to beat, but they’re going to have a tough battle on their hands.

“That’s all we can ask for as fans.”

Game 1 of the NBL23 Championship Series tips off on Friday, March 3 at 7:30pm AEDT.