Chris Andersen was one of the most unique players the NBA had ever seen. A 6’10” big man with a knack for emphatic blocks and thunderous slam dunks, the heavily tattooed Andersen was known as “Birdman” for his high-flying style of play.
Off the court, Chris was equally captivating, with his eccentric personality and boisterous fan base. According to his former Miami Heat teammate Mike Miller, the actions of his rowdy fans frequently caused head coach Erik Spoelstra to burn timeouts.
“Birdman” attracted a unique fan base
Andersen’s path to the National Basketball Association was unusual. He spent one season at Blinn College before moving to China in 1999 to play for the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Chris returned to the United States in 2000 and played in a few leagues before signing with the Fayetteville Patriots in the NBA Development League’s inaugural draft.
After two games with the Patriots, “Birdman” was called up to the Denver Nuggets, where he quickly established himself as a fierce rebounder and rim protector. His basketball skills and distinct appearance—long, colorful tattoos on his arms and neck, as well as a mohawk haircut—made him a fan favorite.
Andersen’s fan base grew in proportion to his popularity. When Udonis Haslem joined the Heat in 2013, he saw firsthand how diverse the “Birdman” fan base was.
“Y’all was some cold white boys, but y’all ain’t had a fan base like Birdman had,” Haslem said on “The OGs Show.” “He had all biker chicks and MMA girls.”
“Panties on the floor”
Miller supported Haslem’s claims, recounting how the team once had to take a timeout because something unusual landed on the court.
“We had to, like, take timeouts in the game because girls were throwing panties on the floor,” Miller revealed on the show, which left their guest, Tyler Herro, in shock.
“I would rather have what Birdman got going on,” Herro said with a hearty laugh.
“Yeah, Birdman had that rockstar sh** going on,” UD added.
Despite his eccentricities, Andersen had an undeniable impact on the Heat during the 2012-13 season. The team went 37-3 in the regular season games he appeared in. In the postseason, he averaged 6.4 points on 80.7 percent shooting, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, helping Miami win the NBA Championship with a 4-3 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.