Josh Hart Backtracks on Pelicans Shade After Backlash from Fans

Josh Hart’s fortunes changed for the better when he was traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the New York Knicks. He had spent four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans before he was moved to the Trail Blazers. In 2019, he was a part of the deal that brought Anthony Davis from the Pels to the Los Angeles Lakers. Years after all that transpired, Hart recently shared an X post where he conveyed his love for the Pelicans franchise.

It was actually a clarification after the controversial comment he had made before.

Hart had taken his Roommates Show to the Fanatics Fest along with his teammate and co-host Jalen Brunson. NFL legend Tom Brady and renowned rapper Lil Wayne were also on the panel with the two Knicks stars.

During the pod, Hart took some unintentional shots at the small market of the Pelicans, claiming that players who get traded to NOLA are never too excited about their stint there. He said to Lil Wayne, “I don’t think you’ll ever hear someone say they were excited to be traded to New Orleans.”

It implied that Hart isn’t very fond of his tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans. Of course, Pels fans who supported the versatile guard throughout his four-year tenure were disappointed with his comments.

They didn’t appreciate the disrespect aimed at them by a player who was one of the fan favorites back then. 

Therefore, the Knicks guard had to backtrack from his comments. While quote-tweeting the clip of his controversial comments, he wrote , “I was traded from LA to Nola lol But I loved my time in Nola though.”

I was traded from LA to Nola lol But I loved my time in Nola though https://t.co/meD0rSXmMO

— Josh Hart (@joshhart) August 23, 2024

Hart tried to say that he didn’t mean to say that New Orleans was a bad place. It’s just that he felt that way because he had just left behind the warm weather of Los Angeles.

Many Pelicans fans were not convinced by Hart’s damage control. They felt betrayed after rooting for who they thought donned the Pels jersey with pride. One of the commenters wrote, “The fan base/city did nothing but show yo a** love. That statement was unnecessary.”

The fan base/city did nothing but show yo ass love. That statement was unnecessary https://t.co/B3QSwQdWlc

— Sha’Wanda Maximoff (@Aye_JayeRay) August 23, 2024

Meanwhile, another offended Pels fan had some choice words for the two-way guard. The X user penned, “Didn’t show you nothing but love the entire time you a h** for this, period.”

Didn’t show you nothing but love the entire time you a hoe for this, period

— Hold The Mayo (@snowlikejonn) August 23, 2024

Apart from that a New Orleans diehard urged his fellow Pelicans fans to boo Hart when he and his Knicks are in town for a road game. The fan wrote, “We know who we gotta boo when he make his return to New Orleans gangers!”

We know who we gotta boo when he make his return to New Orleans gangers! https://t.co/GToXkr8HGE pic.twitter.com/xvmvucHA7Y

— Beek (@_oGbeeK) August 23, 2024

This is not a surprising reaction from New Orleans fans. Any other fanbase would have reacted in a similar fashion. Josh Hart tends to remain in trolling mode for the most part during his public appearances. 

Therefore, his comments came at the spur of the moment. He probably didn’t mean any disrespect. But it’s understandable why Pels fans would feel that way.

There is no doubt that the Pelicans crowd would give him a harsh reception when the Knicks take on the squad at the Smoothie King Center on December 21.