Phoenix Suns fan cheers on team thousands of miles away in Mongolia
Jul 14, 2021, 4:35 AM
Oyu-Od Lkhagvasuren (Courtesy photo)
(Courtesy photo)
PHOENIX — A Phoenix Suns fan is cheering on his team in the NBA Finals more than 6,300 miles away from where the team plays.
Oyu-Od Lkhagvasuren lives in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and has been following the team since the early 2000s.
“The Suns have been waiting for too long,” Lkhagvasuren told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “This year is our chance to win.”
The 25-year-old started out watching the games whenever Chinese television aired them and learning more about the team by going to cafes where he could get internet access.
In recent years, Lkhagvasuren has been able to watch more Suns games through local TV stations in Mongolia that have been broadcasting the NBA games.
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“I’ve never gone to watch a game in Phoenix. I’ve never had a chance to go to the United States,” he said. “But I think that I feel connected with the Suns in some sixth sense.”
The team’s style of basketball is what initially attracted Lkhagvasuren.
He has stood by the Suns every time the team was close to reaching the NBA Finals but came up just short.
Lkhagvasuren recalls seeing the Suns lose over the years to the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals before defeating the Los Angeles Clippers this postseason for the franchise’s first appearance in the title series since 1993.
“It is time for the Suns to win,” he said. “I feel that we can win the championship this year.”
And he’s not the only Suns fan from Mongolia who’s hoping for that.
Lkhagvasuren is part of a private Facebook group of local Suns fans that has about 120 members.
“No matter where we are, who we are or what skin color we have, we are Asians and we support the Suns,” he said.
The Phoenix Suns lead the NBA Finals over the Milwaukee Bucks 2-1 going into Game 4 on Wednesday night at 6 p.m.
A win in Game 4 would move the team one win away from capturing that elusive Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, which the Suns haven’t won during the team’s 53-year history.
All the action can be heard on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Suns Station.
