Lance Stephenson leaves fans hanging after no-showing his own Hooters invite
Lance Stephenson returned “home” to Indianapolis this week and the first-year Los Angeles Lakers guard planned to hit all of his favorite spots.
The house he owns in Zionsville.
His former arena, Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
His regular spot downtown, Hooters.
At least that was the plan, but due to a 42-point loss at his old arena he wasn’t able to console himself with his standard order of 30 breaded samurai wings with lots of ranch.
The Indiana Pacers, his former team, dismantled the Lakers 136-94 in their biggest win of the season and the worst loss LeBron James has played in over his career. Understandably, the Lakers changed travel plans and got out of town ASAP, leaving Stephenson’s fans hanging at Hooters while word trickled out he wouldn’t be attending after all.
Stephenson broke Pacers’ fans hearts twice, spending a total of six years there in two separate stints. He spent the first four years of his career in Indy and still feels the love.
Upon his return with the Lakers, he announced to his fans at the morning shootaround he would be eating a post-game dinner at his favorite spot, Hooters, and invited “everybody” to meet him there.
The restaurant and general manager Zach McCrady kept his table open, the one at the center in the shape of Indiana, per The Athletic.
“He’s been a regular for many years here,” McCrady said of Stephenson. “He used to come in about once a week before the games, after the games and on random nights. He brought a lot of excitement to the games when he was here with the Pacers so I think there’s a lot of buzz around Lance, Hooters and the Lakers.”
The Indianapolis Star reported a full house with a 25-minute wait time to get in the place. People showed up in Pacers jerseys, including both of Stephenson’s, as well as Lakers apparel.
“I wanted to pay my respects to him,” said Wes Compton, 20, in the Star. “He’s done a lot for the city and for me personally, too. He’s given me a lot of entertainment. I played soccer in high school and I wore (a) No. 1 jersey because of him. He’s a big role model for me.
“I just love how that man plays, his passion and everything.”
Fans didn’t seem to be too upset by it, as Stephenson would surely have shown up if not for abrupt travel plans.
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