History as a fan

[mvpshaq32]

I've been a Warrior fan since I started getting into the NBA and because I live in the Bay Area. Shaq was my favorite player right away and been a Laker fan and then a Heat fan. I have to say I like players more than the team except Warriors.

[Axel]

I feel you should root for your home teams, in good or bad weather. I grew up in Chicago, and then worked for 6 years in Seattle so i take an interest in anything Bulls/Sonics.

What about when you don't live in a city?

For me, the two closest NBA franchises are Charlotte and Atlanta. Atlanta is 2 hours away, and Charlotte is 5 hours away.

I've never liked either team.

[Dro]

Been a Suns fan since the year 2001, when I first moved into the home I live in today. I was a freshman in high school, and my favorite sport was hockey.

Well, I live in a suburb of Chandler, Arizona which is a suburb of Phoenix. So basically, I live in the suburbs of the suburbs. When I moved to this house, there was NOTHING in this area...there were still dirt roads and numerous dairy farms. No cable providers provided cable service out here at that time, so I went the first few months here without cable. One of the basic channels was UPN, and they show most of the Suns games...that's really when I fell in love with basketball and naturally, the Suns were my team. The next offseason, they drafted Amare Stoudemire and I was hooked for life.

But I just can't help falling in love with these Warriors! To be honest, I've never been a Warriors fan...I've always disliked J-Rich...I disliked Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy Jr. when they were in GS, and I dislike the players they got in return, SJax and Harrington. Never been a Nellie fan either....but I have always been a fan of Baron Davis. I guess I have a thing for athletic point guards with flair...they're really the essence of basketball.

[Ckidd--]

toronto raptors : only because it was the only CANADIAN team (im canadian ). Man, Vancouver shouldve stayed put. its kinda boring to be able to only watch one team

[anubisak]

Im a Detroit fan since I saw them in the TV here in argentina went The Spurs and the Pistons were in the Finals 2005. I remember I didn´t like the Spurs and I took side on Detroit ever since Im a Pistons fan...so its has been 2 years since now..

[Dan's Brain]

First got into the NBA in probably '92, when i started playing basketball myself. i was 7 or 8 at the time, and one of our first practice sessions involved us watching highlights of the Bulls championship run against the Blazers. Yes, watching game tapes at 7 years old.

The whole team was very impressed by them, which led us to choose red and black as our team colours. I was given number 5, which i was happy about, cause i really liked Pax.

From then on, i started to watch the NBA a little more closely, but i became interested in the other teams just as much. When Shaq was drafted, i started following him a bit, and everyone i knew talked about him all the time.

Then MJ retired, and i was gutted, but i'd really begun to like BJ Armstrong and Pip a lot, so i stuck by the Bulls, and there didnt seem to be as much of a drop-off in product as everyone expected.

When he came back, i was stoked, and actually cried until my mum bought me a #45 Bulls jersey. I'm not ashamed of that, but i am ashamed of the fact that i took it to school one day and lost it. I never saw it again.

I didnt watch all that much of the second three-peat, except the 98 finals, which was and remains, my favourite piece of sport that i've ever seen.

I knew, at the time, when MJ took that final shot that i was witnessing the end of the era. But i didnt feel bad about it. It just felt right.

Then came the dark years.

I'll admit that i became more of a players' supporter during this time. Vince and Dirk and Keith Van Horn were probably my favourites, but i always paid more attention to the Bulls box scores than anyone else's (this is also around the time that Australia's basketball coverage began to disappear)

I sort of stayed this way until draft night 2001, when Elton Brand was traded. I dont know why, but this is when i got right back to supporting the Bulls exclusively. I guess i felt like they needed me, in a funny sort of way. I was excited about Jalen Rose being with the team, but the excitement was short-lived.

I was also a big fan of Jay Williams, and my name around here was Jay_22 for quite a while.

I was initially sceptical about Kirk Hinrich being drafted when we already had Jay, but the accident, and Kirk's rookie campaign put an end to that.

And the players that the Bulls have assembled since then, i love. I was glad to see the back of Eddy Curry, but was slightly disappointed when Tyson Chandler had to be dealt.

Events of the last 2 days have been probably the most exciting thing to happen to the Bulls since MJ made that shot, and i will probably remain loyal to them until Tyrus Thomas retires.


(Apologies for the essay)

[ultimateplaya]

When i first started watching the NBA (Mid 2002), I rooted for the Lakers cause they had previously won 2 Championships already. But as soon as they lost Shaq, i knew they were gonna struggle so i went for the Pistons. After some time i stopped watching NBA until the begining of 2005 and then i choose the Cavs and ever since i've been rooting for them.

[Matt]

half of these are bandwagoner stories.

[[Q]]

You could just return to being a full time Laker fan. LA isn't as cocky as they once were and Bynum's got a lot of upside.

man he was garbage when they drafted him (and passed over Danny Granger) but Kareem aparently works miracles and he's really not that bad anymore. He has really soft hands for a big man. Kwame (or "Krummy") Brown is still garbage and honestly I tihnk Turiaf is the best big man they got right now.

I will like the Lakers again, I'm guessing in a few years when they rid themselves of Kobe, Sasha, Cook, Kwame, and Mihm. I hate them all with a passion. I'm a big fan of Odom though.

[Drex]

half of these are bandwagoner stories.

Because that how you start being a fan. What's the point of your post?

[frenchy]

My history

1995: Orlando => I was a great fan of Shaq+Penny
1996-2000 : Minny => I was really sure that one day KG could win the tittle
2001-2003 : San Antonio => Well one of my friend is playing there
2004: Pistons & Minny (again) => Was fed up of the SA/LAL battles
2005-2006 : LA Clippers => well supporting Lakers was too easy
2007: Phoenix & Chicago => The next champions 2007-2009

[Ty-Land]

I started following the Charlotte Hornets in 94-95 when the NBA was a big deal in Oz. Don't know why I exactly picked them, but I do know a couple of reasons. One was Mugsy Bogues who was a short arse like me, therefore giving me hope to be a good ball player in the future (not too mention my nickname was Mugs). Secondly, I liked the frontcourt tandem of LJ and Mourning. I followed the Hornets for a couple of years, but had a soft spot for Orlando as well. Really liked penny as a player.

Basketball disappeared out of my life from 97 to about 2000. Then I became a Bucks fan as I liked Ray Allen, and they were a good team to play on PS1 with Live 2001. Started really supporting them half heartedly, but now I'm a hardcore fan. The evolution of Michael Redd, the rookie season of TJ Ford, Desmond Mason's highlight reel dunks, getting the number 1 and drafting Bogut, trading for CV and the development of Mo Williams have been highlights over the last couple of years. With Bogut being in the draft, I was so excited an Australian was going to make it in the NBA. When he landed in Milwaukee I was so so happy. Couldn't have been more perfect. While the team has played pretty mediocre over the last couple of seasons, I think there is a bright future. I will stay a Bucks fan for life, but if Bogut was ever traded or signed with another team, I would probably hold a soft spot for them as well.

If I had to support a team in the playoffs this year, it would be the Suns. I love Nash's style of play, and hope that they get to the finals this year.

[Matt]

Because that how you start being a fan. What's the point of your post?

the point is that some people don't follow one team, they just jock ride whoever has success from one year to the next.

[The X]

I got into NBA in 1993 & my favourite player was Latrell Sprewell & favourite team was the Golden State Warriors....he played with Webber, Mullin, Tim Hardaway & Chris Gatling....

I moved my allegiance from 1994 to 1996 to the Showtime Lakers & my favourite player of all time, Cedric Ceballos....he had Van Exel, Anthony Peeler, Eddie Jones, Vlade Divac & Elden Campbell around him....great, great team....

then Jordan was back in full flight which wasn't good for fav teams....so I wanted Stockton & Jazz to win it all, but Jordan stubbed them twice....

I liked White Chocolate in his rookie year, & I really like the Kings with Vlade, Webber, Stojakovic, Christie & JWill/Bibby, Jackson on bench....

now I don't really like anyone & prefer college hoops....at least some players in college stay on the same team for 3-4 years....doesn't happen often in NBA anymore....

I still enjoy the NBA, but now just support the underdog more often than not & prefer the NBA Draft to Playoff basketball....

[jonthefon]

I bandwagoned for a few years when i was like 8, for the Lakers

But I left basketball for a few years in exchange for...ice-hockey fervour . I re-discovered hoops in 2005, when I started playing b'ball, but I lacked interest in it until 2006. Until then, I didn't even know who Dirk Nowitzki was . But now I'm a Dallas fan, since I used to live in the Big D when I was like, two and the Mavs were still terrible.

[Pera]

As I think about it there aren't many teams I routed for over the years.I remember watching Michael Jordan in 97,98 when I was just a little bloke.At first I didn't know who he was,I just liked him because he always came out of the game as a winner .They actually sold Chicago Bulls '98 albums here where you had to collect stickers.I think I filled that album and after that I threw it away,because I got tired of it ( can't believe I ditched that ) After Jordan retired I didn't really follow the NBA(they didn't show the games here anymore).So I took a long break I think five years until I got Live 2003 and played endless hours with Shaq.So I felt like a Lakers fan,but after he got traded,I started to watch Miami (nope not a bandwagoner here) .

Aside from that I also like Cleveland.I actually got a Lebron jersey so I just have to follow them .

[RapsPlayoffs]

i liked raptors forever
when vince got traded i started following NJ cuz carter was my fav player
then like a year or two ago i started liking lakerse

[[Q]]

I think the recent individuality and emphasis on one on one basketball has made it a lot harder to be a die hard fan of a team, as most people follow a player to whereever he goes.

[BZ]

I started watching basketball with my father back in 96 when the Bulls were in the process of the three-peats, and it was Michael Jordan who sparked the interest for me. I started playing basketball, emulating his moves and watching as many Bulls game as I can. Then MJ retired and I became a neutral follower for a bit. Soon after, T-Mac's rise caught my interest, and the Magic was my team for a while, until Yao came. It was absolute gold when T-Mac got traded to Houston. Two of my favorite basketball players on one team, so the Rockets are definitely the next team I'm following. Or wherever Yao and T-Mac goes. And MJ's brief return made me a Wizards fan for a while too.

[Scorer--20]

Well im spurs fan since 2004 you know why....

Also i liked the bucks but since TJ leave there they suck.

And i started to see the warriors with another eyes since the big trade with indiana.

[Silas]

Sonics through and through, but I've cheered for LA ever since the 05-06 season, and I do root for Golden State sometimes, but the Sonics still prevail over all, by far.

[Drex]

Why the man-love for Korver, then?

[emi_b7]

I've always been a Suns fan, and that won't change...

[Martti.]

Ok, I was born in '92... Started following basketball sence six. My cousin was a big Bulls fan.. Then in the 1st grade and so on my interest dropped. I started again about 3-4 years ago. Now I'm a huge NBA fan. So here's my list :

1998 - Bulls Jordan. Don't remember much..
1999 - Not a fan.
2000 - Not a fan.
2001 - Not a fan.
2002 - Not a fan.
(Followed Estonian Basketball.)
2003 - Very little interest.
2004 - Very little interest.
2005 - Started following. Hated the Lakers and loved the Bulls.
2006 - Started to watch from the middle of the season. Big Iverson fan. And followed the Playoffs. Was a fan of the Bulls, Sixers and the Heat. When Heat beat the Bulls, I was 100% in the Heat side. Very happy, when they won the title..
2007 - The biggest fan. Catching on every day. Reading article's and NBA.com is my home page in Firefox.. I know pretty much of some players.. Like Wade, Bosh and Arenas.. NBA Live is favourite video game.

So favourite players -

Before 2000 - Jordan.
After 2000 - Wade, Bosh, Arenas.

[Abctest123]

I started noticing basketball (well atleast the Raptors) in 1996 (when I was 6 ), the year they drafted Camby. I wasn't really following them, just maybe "oh they won last night." or "they lost yesterday's game." I was a VERY casual fan probably around the 1998-1999 or 1999-2000 season, watching the odd game or two. Back then, when I saw a Lakers game, I kept thinking "why doesn't this Shaq guy handle the ball (like bring the ball up like a PG ) if he's so dominant like the commentators say?" I started actually cheering for the Raptors at either the midway point of 1999-2000 season, or 1st quarter of the 2000-2001 season. By then I was starting to know the game a lot more, and since then I've been a Raptors fan. During the 2000-2001 season, I also became a Mavs fans, because they were just so entertaining to watch. Lakers, I had a love-hate relationship as a fan during thge Shaq-Kobe years; I'd like them cause they were entertaining and so dominant, but didn't like them at the same time because they were so cocky. Last but not least, I jumped on the Suns bandwagon the moment Nash signed with Phoenix, or atleast after his first 5 games with them .