Kings trio reiterate importance of fans ahead of Finals

NBL23 MVP Xavier Cooks, coach Chase Buford and Derrick Walton Jr have thanked members and fans for the energy they have brought to Qudos Bank Arena this season – saying they have contributed to the team's success so far.

During the NBL23 campaign, Sydney Kings members and supporters helped the club set two new crowd records, including a total of 144,307 fans through the doors at Qudos Bank Arena (eclipsing the old mark of 140,168) and an average of 10,307 fans per game.

These figures and their significance of them aren't lost on Kings trio Buford, Cooks and Walton Jr - who can't wait to play in front of a big crowd for their Playoff Semi-Final showdown against Cairns on Wednesday.

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"They [the crowd] give us a huge lift every time we step out onto the court at Qudos Bank Arena," coach Buford said.

"[Playing in front of these big crowds] is a nice reward for our players' hard work this season - showing that people are believing in us on our journey of going back-to-back."

NBL23 MVP Cooks echoed the thoughts of his championship-winning coach.

"I don't even know where to set the bar anymore [in terms of crowd attendance], because lately, our crowds have been so crazy and so intense," Cooks said.

"As a group, we really thrive off their energy and I'm really excited to experience that again on Wednesday night."

Much like his fellow All-NBL First Team member Cooks, Walton Jr has played in front of big crowds all around the world but admitted the Hoops Capital fans are some of the best he's experienced.

"The Kings faithful have been extremely consistent all year and as players, we appreciate each and every one of you," he said.

"It's up to us to keep giving them a reason to turn up and support us - which we intend to do on Wednesday."

Check out our NBL23 Finals hype reel above, via our Sydney Kings' YouTube channel. While you're there, be sure to hit subscribe, to ensure you never miss out on any of our great videos.

The regular season champions will host the series' first game at Qudos Bank Arena on Wednesday, February 15 from 7.30pm AEDT - with tickets still available here.