Jeff Van Gundy Wants People To Stop ‘Kardashian-Shaming’

The NBA Finals have been an uphill battle for the defending champions as they trail 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors. Though the Cleveland Cavaliers managed to pull out an explosive win in Game 4, the team still must make up for their mistakes in the first three games of the series.

Prior to the Cavs’ historical Game 4 win, a few players had been struggling on the floor, unable to get involved. Tristan Thompson averaged 2.7 points and 3.7 rebounds ahead of the elimination game, shooting 36 percent from the field.

The baller’s slump forced fans to place blame, directing their frustration towards Thompson’s reality star girlfriend, Khloe Kardashian.

For years, the Kardashian sisters have been known to date athletes or the occasional rapper. During the relationship, however, fans notice changes in their favorite baller, including a decline in their production on the court. The change has been coined the “Kardashian Curse.”

A few ballers have even come forward to discuss their experiences with the family, with one blatantly saying Khloe ruined his career. However, others believe it is completely unfair to blame the Kardashians for another person’s struggles. Despite claims and concerns that the sisters and their level of celebrity are a distraction, some people think its just mean.

Heading into Friday’s game, Jeff Van Gundy wanted to put an end to the claims, blasting fans for the “Kardashian curse” narrative.

“I’ve noticed a lot, in this series, the debate about why Tristan Thompson has not played well,” the former coach said. “And he hasn’t played well. But the debate about whether his significant other, Khloe Kardashian, and the ‘Kardashian curse,’ is the reason, to me, is downright low-rent.”

“My thing is:,” he continued. “When LeBron James struggled in 2011 in those Finals, did we say it was his significant other that caused him to not succeed, or last year with Steph Curry, was it Steph Curry’s wife when he didn’t play up to standard? No, this Kardashian-slamming is because she’s an easy target.”

“And I don’t know her or her family, but I do know this: She deserves an apology for anybody who participated in that type of debate.”