Basketball fans and former NBA players have slammed a ‘woke’ decision to ban spectators from making noise while players take free throws at the recent national under-18 national championships.

It is traditional in basketball for opposition supporters to make as much noise as possible when a player takes free throws to put them off their game.

That was highlighted recently in hilarious scenes in the NBA with Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan’s daughter screaming at opposition players when they lined up on the charity stripe.

In the Australian NBL, fans are often issued inflatable clapping sticks and giant cardboard heads of players to use in games to put players off their shot.

However, tournament officials at the under-18 nationals bizarrely put a stop to that, demanding that spectators be silent during free throws, like they do during service games in tennis.

It prompted Aussie ex-NBA stars Andrew Bogut and Chris Anstey to take to Twitter and vent their outrage.

Bogut even claimed that the teams themselves were responsible for hushing their supporters down and were threatened with technical fouls.

‘Hearing Basketball Australia has formally warned teams at the Under 18’s Nationals that fans/family/friends CANNOT make noise during other teams free throws? Refs have given teams warnings in games,’ Bogut posted.

‘Guess what happens when these kids go to College or the Pros?’

Basketball fans were left stunned by the decision.

‘Ridiculous. I used to love the loud environment at states/nationals when I was younger. Made it feel more important than run of the mill club games,’ a former player replied.

‘If you can’t make a free throw while being booed better pick another sport it’s becoming a soft society,’ another one of Bogut’s followers posted.

‘Has happened in other sports too. Teaching kids there’s no such thing as pressure until they are adults is asking for breakdowns and failures mentally,’ added another.

Fellow Aussie NBA great Chris Anstey shared vision from the under-18 national championships at Brendale in Brisbane.

In the video, the crowd were animated and cheering until a player lined up to take a free throw, when complete silence fell over the stands.

‘I’m at stadium and can confirm it was quiet as players shot free throws,’ Anstey posted.

‘Ridiculous!! What are we preparing our kids for??’

‘I expect noise. Clappers, stomping, inflatable tubes: the stuff they hand out at most games to activate the crowd. It’s not a regional comp, it’s nationals, the best basketball players in Australia.’

Basketball fans were quick to lash out at the decision.

‘You can thank the woke community for this….you’ll find it on the same page as participation medals,’ replied one of Anstey’s followers.

‘You are kidding. This is turning basketball into tennis,’ another fumed.

‘We are slowly creating a generation that can’t cope with even the slightest bit of adversity, it’s sad to watch,’ added another.

Across town at Zillmere, it was the complete opposite for the Indigenous Community Basketball League, a first of a kind competition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

‘The Zillmere stadium has been that loud I can’t make phone calls in there,’ a spectator posted.

‘Was at the Indigenous Basketball Association tournament this morning and family and friends were singing Sweet Caroline during free throws- so much fun!’ Anstey added.