Chris Andersen was among the most unique individuals 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.
But off the court, Chris was equally captivating with his eccentric personality and raucous fan base. According to his former Miami Heat teammate, Mike Miller, the actions of his rowdy supporters often had head coach Erik Spoelstra burning his timeouts.
Andersen’s path to the NBA was unusual. He played one season at Blinn College before heading to China in 1999 to play for the Jiangsu Nangang Dragons in the Chinese Basketball Association. Chris returned to the United States in 2000 and competed in several leagues before signing with the Fayetteville Patriots in the NBA Development League’s first-ever draft.
After playing two games for the Patriots, “Birdman” was called up by the Denver Nuggets and soon established himself in the Association as a fierce rebounder and rim protector. His basketball skills and unique appearance—long, colorful tattoos covering his arms and neck, along with a mohawk haircut—made him a fan favorite.
As Andersen’s popularity grew, so did his fan base. When he signed up to play for the Heat in 2013, Udonis Haslem saw firsthand how diverse “Birdman” fans were.
“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 backed up Haslem’s claims, narrating how the team once had to take a timeout because something unusual landed on the hardcourt.
“We had to, like, take timeouts in the game because girls were throwing panties on the floor,” Miller revealed on the show, sending Tyler Herro, who was their guest, into a state of disbelief.
“I’d rather have what Birdman got going on,” Herro responded with a hearty laugh.
“Yeah, Birdman had that rock star sh** going on,” UD chimed in.
For all of Andersen’s eccentricities, his impact on the Heat during the 2012-13 season was undeniable. The team went an incredible 37-3 in the regular season games he played in. In the postseason, he averaged 6.4 points on 80.7 percent shooting, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game to help Miami capture the title with a 4-3 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.
