Sadiq Khan was booed by the crowd when he appeared on the big screen at the London NBA game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic.
In a pre-recorded clip of the mayor of London, huge boo’s echoed around the arena.
He didn’t return to the seat from which he was recorded waving after half-time.
One fan wrote on social media: “No way did they just show Sadiq Khan at the NBA London game and he got booed.”
Supporters also chanted “leave Greenland alone” and booed the US national anthem in opposition to Donald Trump’s ambitions to secure Greenland.
Before the game was about to begin, X-rated language, including “f**k ice”, was heard around the O2 Arena.
It was the NBA’s first regular-season fixture in London since 2019, with the Orlando Magic taking on the Memphis Grizzlies at The O2 Arena.
The Greenwich Peninsula venue has hosted all 10 of the league’s regular-season contests in London.
Sadiq Khan was booed by the crowd when he appeared on the big screen at the London NBA game
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GETTY
This match concludes a two-game European tour for both sides, forming part of a three-year international programme that will see NBA action in Manchester and Paris next year, followed by Berlin and Paris in 2028.
The contest represents the 19th game featuring an NBA team in the United Kingdom since 1993.
Thursday’s encounter in Berlin provided a tantalising preview of what London fans might expect, with Orlando emerging victorious 118-111 in dramatic fashion.
The Grizzlies established a commanding 20-point lead in the first half, only for the Magic to mount a remarkable comeback that delighted the German crowd, who cheered enthusiastically for Orlando’s trio of German players.
Memphis regained their lead with four minutes remaining, setting up a tense finale.
The decisive moment arrived with the scores level at 107 and just two and a half minutes on the clock, when Anthony Black drove through four Grizzlies defenders to deliver a thunderous dunk that ultimately secured the win.
Orlando head into today’s fixture approaching full fitness, with Franz Wagner available after missing 16 matches due to an ankle sprain and Moe Wagner recovered from last season’s ACL injury.
Jalen Suggs remains sidelined with a knee problem, but the Magic are otherwise close to their strongest lineup.
The Memphis Grizzlies and the Orlando Magic are playing at the O2 | GETTYThe Thursday triumph gave Orlando its first consecutive victories since early December, lifting them to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings at 23-18.
Memphis face considerably greater challenges on the injury front, with Ja Morant, Ty Jerome, Zach Edey, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Brandon Clarke all unavailable.
The Grizzlies sit 10th in the Western Conference at 17-23.
