Give us a rundown of your Basketball fandom history

[NBASupes]

1992 - This is when I officially started to care more about hoops. I liked playing the sport although I wasn't any good. My cousin was a big-time fan. The only players I knew were Magic, Bird, MJ, Pip, Nique since I lived in ATL, Ewing, and Miller. Basketball was a clear 3rd for me behind Baseball and Football where I was a diehard Braves and Deion/49ers fan. I remember my cousin asking me about Hakeem Olajuwon and I didn't have a clue who he was. I probably knew more college Basketball players as I only had basic channels in my room where I was a major fan of Michigan and Georgetown. 

1993 - I because far more of a fan of sports in general and started having more an interest. Still more of a college fan. I did like the Hornets as they had Larry Grandmama Johnson which is appealing to kids. I always say, kids don't see the game like adults, that's why Trae and Ja tends to be a lot of their favorite players. I was a major Grant Hill fan. 

1994 - I became far more of a sport geek at this age as just being a geek altogether. I loved tech, Baseball and Basketball. Baseball was always #1 by a mile as a child. This was the first year I can truly say I became a Hawk fan. My dad took me to the Omni to see Nique in 93. I also remember being mad they traded Nique and being majority disappointed in Manning. Where I lived, I could get Atlanta channels and Carolina channels at that time so I was able to watch Hornets/Hawks games and honestly, Hornets was on live TV more than the Hawks. I would probably say, I leaned more to liking the Hornets as they had a lot of players I liked but I was a fan of the Hawks. 

1995-1999 - Not much really changed in these years. I became a full diehard hoops fan and sports fan in general. Atlanta sports became my teams. I would say I had secondary teams like Charlotte, 49ers, and never had a secondary baseball team but I loved Ken Griffey Jr and Barry Bonds, mainly Griffey. Baseball still #1. 

2000-2004 - I was finally coming into my body and black athletic ability with tremendous size, power, and speed for anyone much less with my height. Realized I can be an elite Baseball or Football prospect if I wanted to as I had more talent in my pinky than most had in their bodies but I choose to play Basketball where in all fairness, I was trash. I did get a college offer and signed to play college ball but I could have been a HOF in the other sports. Why? Because Baseball, when I was a kid, was a beautiful game. I loved learning about the negro leagues. I had players I loved all over the league like Griff who I modeled my game after, Bonds, Glenallen Hill, Eddie Murray, Jermaine Dye, Albert Belle, Mo Vaughn, and countless others. When I was a teen, the local roster started to look like a klan rally and I just didn't mesh with that crowd. I stopped playing my favorite sport till I just stopped caring about it altogether. 

I just lost all my passion for the game even though I was a million times better than others and my HS is known for elite Baseball players, and I was easily the most talented, by far. legit five tools and I grew up wanting to be a major leaguer and went to a lot of camps. As for football, I sadly played it when I was 6'4 110 in middle school and I wasn't much of an athlete yet. The Oklahoma drill did it for me. Lost passion instantly. I worked my ass off at Basketball to go from being cut from 7th to 10th grade, to making varsity and getting a chance to play two years of college ball where I realized, it was the end of my hoops journey. I honestly think, if I was elite at baseball before 11th grade, I probably would have stuck with it and made it to the pros. A lot of my talent just came overnight with the help of the weight room. True late bloomer. 

As for sports, Atlanta all day. Really turned up when the Falcons landed Vick. I was a season ticket holder to the Hawks and man was I disappointed because Basketball was the talk around my boys. I had two teams. My Hawks which everyone hated and laughed off instantly, and the Mavs as I loved watching Nash and Dirk play. When I say no one liked the Hawks, I mean no one but just me. I started lurking on here because it was so hard to find other Hawk fans. 

2005-2012 - Young adult life. Deep into sports. Always trying to get into shit. I started building connections. Especially now that my playing days were near an end or over. I got some local work at a scout, I remember saying on here, I am a scout and I am way smarter than you all. Remember those days @AHF? I loved it but I really enjoyed the game. I was so locked into hoops. I think at this point was when I was just an Atlanta sports fan. I didn't have any more outside teams. Just roll with the A. 

2013-Now - I can say I became a much more intelligent fan but I knew at this point, sports was a hobby and a passion but it wasn't something I wanted to have a career in. I do wonder how my life would be if I took the internship with the Miami Heat that was offered to me when I was excelling in business clubs, winning national awards, and when I had national conferences, I had an elite interview with the org. My dad would have paid for it but my stupid ass was like, it's too low of a level, I need to be an executive. No, easy pass. Why do this when I am going to be a CEO by 25. LMAO! Let's say I was delusional to say the least in my career prospects but I was damn good for a college kid. I had offers from ExxonMobil, Miami Heat, and several big companies in Atlanta but with my stubbornness, I learned a hard lesson when I wasn't the hot prospect no more. I paid a steep price. I think I had a big head. I was a ladies' man. I was handsome, tall, confident, and charismatic. Everyone wanted me to be in their club, frat, company, boyfriend, lover, and in some girls' cases, dead, but everyone wanted me. 

Life has a way of humbling you. Anyway, sports-wise, I think I maintain some previous relationships and had some new ones. Although I only have really one contact that I use today. People change careers, it's not easy to know someone that was in one place at 24 and is still there at 36. I am a professional now like my brother @thecampster and @Sothron. It's not glamorous but I really enjoy it. The pay is good, pays for all of my kids' tuition and my wife is happy (at times). So there it is for me. 

 

You? 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by NBASupes

[Sothron]

I was three years old in 1979 and my dad took me to the Omni for Hawks games. Just a few. But it was enough. I love all the major sports (that includes soccer and hockey) and especially those from the state of Georgia. I root for both Georgia and Georgia Tech since both are from Georgia. If we had more than one pro team in a sport I'd root for them.

My dad instilled in me a love of sports and sticking with your hometown/homestate team. I added more teams that I liked as I got older (the 80's Celtics, 80's Nuggets, 80's Bucks, 80's Cavs) and then a teenager (90's Hornets, Sonics, Knicks, the TWolves once they drafted Starbury). I played college ball and loved it. Had a chance to be a scout for the Hawks but didn't follow through with it. Should have but such is life.

 

[Spud2nique]

10 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

Deion/49ers fan.

Shoulda ended when he left the Falcons. Go Andre Risen baby!

 

11 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

I was finally coming into my body

Pics or it didn’t happen. 

 

12 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

Glenallen Hill,

Indians were bad a$$, we beat them down in the World Series but they had some foo dudes in Ramirez Thome and Albert “don’t call me Joey” Bell.

 

13 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

When I say no one liked the Hawks, I mean no one but just me. I started lurking on here because it was so hard to find other Hawk fans. 

Dry days yes. I woulda befriended anyone wearing red and yellow even Ronald McDonald.

 

15 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

I was a ladies' man, handsome, tall, confident, and charismatic.

Pics 

Nice story Supes.

[Spud2nique]

I was a twinkle in my parents eyes… (1974)… to be continued….

[Guest]

I played basketball in rec/church leagues starting at age 9 in 1962.  I was very short for my age (only 5 feet tall my junior year of high school and then grew 10 inches before graduating a year or so later!!).  So, I was quick but not very good, TBH.
That destined me to be a fan more than a player, though I continued to play recreationally until just a few years ago (now 69 years old).  I would chop off the ice from my driveway in Chicago and shoot baskets in the freezing cold.  LOVED the sport.  
Anyway, I really became a fan of pro basketball when in 1966 Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) became a phenomenon at UCLA and the Chicago Bulls franchise debuted that same year.  Loved the early Bulls teams.  Went to several games over the years.  Also loved the Artis Gilmore years in the late 70s with the Bulls.
I moved to Atlanta in the fall of 1977 and then became a Hawks fan immediately.  I was fortunate enough over the years to have friends with great tickets (courtside) so I was at many games.  Also, in my job as chief fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Atlanta during my long career there, I was able to meet many Hawks players and spent time with some of them socially on a few occasions. And, when I was a part owner of Frankie's (a sports bar off of 285 and Roswell Road in the Prado shopping center) in the early 90s, I got to meet and hang with a few of them as well.
The Hawks have been my #1 sports team since 1977, and remain so, even though I relocated back to Chicago in 2008.
Screw the Bulls now! 

[macdaddy]

I"ve been Atlanta sports all my life.

Started watching Hawks in the 70s.  Remember Skip Caray doing play by play.    I was a big fan of Charlie Criss because i was always really short for my age until late high school.   Got to meet Charlie a few years ago.

I remember watching John Drew and Dan Roundfield and then local news started showing grainy highlights from Athens of Nique.   Him going to the Hawks was too perfect.  

I went to some of the Nique/Theus/Moses games.   That team was a disappointment but they were really good.  

Saw the Danny Ainge BYU march madness game in the Omni where he hit a last second shot to win it.   dribbled full court i think.    Ralph Sampson and UVA played the other game.  

When we got Mookie/Smitty I was older and started going to more games.  I started watching most Hawks games on tv too and it's crazy to think how many i've watched.  

I played rec ball as a kid but wasn't that great.  I played a lot of pickup ball through college but that's about it.  

It's been a long road as a Hawks fan.   

[bird_dirt]

Gotta love Supes. You’ll have a hard time finding a man more humble than him. 
 

My family’s from Cincy, so I grew up a Reds and Bengals fan. Basketball-wise, I’ve always been a UK fan, starting with Sam Bowie and Kenny Walker. Rex Chapman was my favorite player. I never cared for NBA too much. 
 

I was always into playing soccer and skateboarding. Still skate, but retired from soccer after breaking my leg a few years ago playing indoor. Recovery in my forties is not fun. 
 

After undergrad, I moved to Atlanta in 99, so that’s when I started following all Atlanta teams. Hawks sucked, so it was easy to get free tickets to games. Lots of Braves games, and some Thrashers (RIP). 
 

After my son was born, my wife at the time wanted to move back to KY. Honestly, this board has been a big part of me staying connected to the Hawks. 

[bird_dirt]

1 minute ago, bird_dirt said:

Gotta love Supes. You’ll have a hard time finding a man more humble than him. 
 

My family’s from Cincy, so I grew up a Reds and Bengals fan. Basketball-wise, I’ve always been a UK fan, starting with Sam Bowie and Kenny Walker. Rex Chapman was my favorite player. I never cared for NBA too much. 
 

I was always into playing soccer and skateboarding. Still skate, but retired from soccer after breaking my leg a few years ago playing indoor. Recovery in my forties is not fun. 
 

After undergrad, I moved to Atlanta in 99, so that’s when I started following all Atlanta teams. Hawks sucked, so it was easy to get free tickets to games. Lots of Braves games, and some Thrashers (RIP). 
 

After my son was born, my wife at the time wanted to move back to KY. Honestly, this board has been a big part of me staying connected to the Hawks. 

My first connection to the Hawks was playing bball at my neighbors house when I was a kid. He was from GA, so he was always Nique, my best friend was Spud, and I was Isiah Thomas. 

[AHF]

My love of basketball started with UK basketball after living in the Lexington, KY area as a kid.  When we moved to the Atlanta area in the 80's, I rooted for Georgia Tech as long as they weren't playing UK and had a great time watching the Lethal Weapon team before I eventually went to school in Athens which diminished my fandom for Tech.  (I still root for them but behind both UK and UGA.  I did have season tickets for the Bulldogs and went to all the games, sitting in the students section with my UK paraphernalia when the Wildcats visited.)   

The Hawks and UK basketball were my favorite teams in any sport.  Nique, Spud, Doc, Tree, etc. were formative for my NBA love.  Been rooting for the Hawks ever since.

[Spud2nique]

I became a fan in 85 after watching the Spudnik take the dunk crown . That was pretty awesome for me as a kid in elementary school. I was a shorter guy in my class and thought if Spud could ball, why not me? 
 

I played a few years of organized youth basketball, never really loved the organized stuff as much as street ball.

We played in the ghetto of Houston. It was the worst of ghettos but we lived in a pretty bad neighborhood with drugs around. Luckily I had some friends and we all chose to ball vs get into that stuff. This was when we were around 10 years old. We all watched the Rockets and Celts in 86 and rooted for Houston but Bird stole the show. I loved Hakeem. My parents didn’t love our location so we up and loved to the Bay Area in 1986. Everyone here loved the Warriors, Niners and Giants, so much so that I was turned off and had my Hawks, a few years later I’d pickup the Braves from watching TBS. Loved Ronnie Gant… TP later, and the pitchers we had, great times. Followed the Lions because of Barry Sanders, he was the best thing I’d seen since sliced bread. A humble dude who handed the ball to the official after clowning people left and right. Class act.

I played tennis in high school as a singles varsity player in my junior year, #2 overall. Got kicked off the team mid year for jumping over the net and physically fighting an opponent. (May have been the first time in this gentleman’s sport lol).

We baller outdoor everyday after school from the time I was in 6th grade in Cali throughout high school. After school, from 3 till dark. 
 

Throughout the early 90’s my fanhood was flirted with and woo’d by teams like the Sonics and the Hornets but I stayed loyal to Nique and the Hawks. I got a Sacramento Kings hat in 91 but that was due to the Spud trade, Hawks we’re still my fav but I’d follow Spud and Mitch Richmond and rooted them on a bit.

When Nique was traded in 94, I died a bit inside. I remember watching CNN headline news with Van Earl Wright, sports updates 20 and 50 past the hour. It was 5:50, 10 minutes before the trade deadline and Wright covers all sports first and the last 10 seconds says..

Nique for Manning. Ughhh.

I stayed. 
 

Loved Stacey Augmon, then Mookie from the Nets, we were a great defensive backcourt.. couple years later we got Deke.…..

FF..

Always feel blessed and now ..

I’m here with you fine folks.

GO HAWKS!!!

 

 

[Diesel]

Football was what I was good at.  Basketball was what I loved!  Started watching and going to the games about the same time as Sothron maybe a year or two before. Watched Fast Eddie Johnson, John Drew, Dan Roundfield, Tree Rollins, and the Fastbreaks (you are a true old head if you know that).  I met Tree and John Drew.. From then on... I was a Hawks fan4life.   I was fortunate because as a Youngster... Met Tree, John Drew, Spud Webb, Ronnie Lott, and Mike Ken.  Was actually a fan of Mike Ken... he taught me how to play the game at a football camp.  It was Mike Kenn, Ronnie Lott, Mick Luckhurst and Junior Miller?  Also met Steve Bartkowski and Alfred Jenkins.    Yeah.. I know. I'm old. Miller time meant something different to me. 

Back to the Hawks...  Loved Hawks more than Falcons and Braves... For the Braves, I was a fan of Phil Neikro and Gary Matthews... they brought me into the game.   Then there was Dale Murphy, Gene Garber, and I really liked the penant winning Braves.  Back to the Hawks.   I was mad that we traded John Drew for Nique even though I was a fan of Nique from UGA.  You have to remember, I was a fan of John Drew.  Didn't know about Cocaine Train or none of that.. All I know is that that guy would go out there and get buckets.   But Nique being from UGA softened my fall.  Because I remember Durham coaching them to the SEC championship or something.   You Could say nothing wrong about Nique and Vern Fleming to me.   Anyway. 

I remember when my fandom went to fanatic.  There was a game... on the telephone... a little later.   It was a trivia game.  It asked questions about the Hawks.   Well, I knew a lot about the Hawks, so I played it.   The game costed money... but ultimately, I won so many prizes playing the game that it kinda equaled out.   My mom didn't think so... but I remember winning tickets, shoes, and some cash (they sent a check actually).  To this day, I don't know how I got the number or started playing that game or what it was called... but addiction is a terrible thing.  It allowed me to go see the Hawks when Nique was in his prime.. at the OMNI. (Yall remember the iceskating rink? and Gone with the wind?)  Anyway.  There were a few first and a few blind dates that went down at the OMNI.  Who knew it was a hotel?  Seeing Nique in his prime solidified it. I was in the OMNI when Bernard King played his last game!  I wasn't impressed.   I was actually in Fulton County when OJ played his last game.... small world.   But I had a lot of good memories in the OMNI...  off topic.... anybody ever go to the Rodeo at the OMNI?

Personally, I loved basketball but my Football coach didn't allow me to play.  It was a C-O-N Spiracy at the highest level.  I went out for the team and My principal came out and said, sorry, we will not let you play.  Sadly, they let me do Track and Field in the offseason.   It became Jogging all day.  

 

 

 

[shakes]

29 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

 

Saw the Danny Ainge BYU march madness game in the Omni where he hit a last second shot to win it.   dribbled full court i think.    Ralph Sampson and UVA played the other game.  

 

yep, he sure did.  one of my earliest basketball memories.

[shakes]

14 minutes ago, Diesel said:

 

   Then there was Dale Murphy,

 

 

 

I loved Dale Murphy growing up.  had the Nike power alley poster framed in my bedroom.  Used to get in arguments all the time with Cubs fans over Andre Dawson vs Dale Murphy.

[Diesel]

3 minutes ago, shakes said:

I loved Dale Murphy growing up.  had the Nike power alley poster framed in my bedroom.  Used to get in arguments all the time with Cubs fans over Andre Dawson vs Dale Murphy.

As a Braves fan, I am not mad at the Cubs.. I only hate one team....well maybe two... Dem Yankees and Dem Damn Blue jays...

[shakes]

2 minutes ago, Diesel said:

As a Braves fan, I am not mad at the Cubs.. I only hate one team....well maybe two... Dem Yankees and Dem Damn Blue jays...

As a lifelong White Sox fan I feel about the Cubs the way Hitler felt about my people.

[Diesel]

Off topic...

Maddux, Glavine, Avery and Smoltz....

Has there ever been a more dominant group than that???

Sometimes, I sit and wonder why didn't we win more??...  I know we were cheated by the Blue Jays.    But Damn.

Alright, I got to book an appointment with my therapist now. 

 

[shakes]

Just now, Diesel said:

Off topic...

Maddux, Glavine, Avery and Smoltz....

Has there ever been a more dominant group than that???

Sometimes, I sit and wonder why didn't we win more??...  I know we were cheated by the Blue Jays.    But Damn.

Alright, I got to book an appointment with my therapist now. 

 

yea those guys were amazing, but there has never been a more dominant pitching post season than the 2005 White Sox.  Sox pitchers strung together 4 complete games in a row to win the ALCS.

[Diesel]

OK... here you go...   SPORTS EQUIVALANCE IN ATLANTA.... Something else to argue over...  Once you see the pattern.. fill in the blanks...

 

Trae = Deion = Maddux  

???(Collins)  = Matty Ice = Glavine 

DJ = ???(Risen) = Chipper 

Capela =  ???  =  Pendleton 

Hunter  = ???    =   Blauser

[Diesel]

12 minutes ago, shakes said:

yea those guys were amazing, but there has never been a more dominant pitching post season than the 2005 White Sox.  Sox pitchers strung together 4 complete games in a row to win the ALCS.

That's great against the same team.  And those guys were pretty good.   BUT Maddog.. was special.  In 1995, his win% and ERA were freakin historic.  I don't remember what it was, but sheez...  It would be an interesting pitching duel...  1995 Braves vs. 2005 White Sox.   I think the Braves are topheavy in this one... I don't know the Whitesox numbers or players for that matter but if there's a weak spot, it may have been Avery. 

 

[shakes]

26 minutes ago, Diesel said:

That's great against the same team.  And those guys were pretty good.   BUT Maddog.. was special.  In 1995, his win% and ERA were freakin historic.  I don't remember what it was, but sheez...  It would be an interesting pitching duel...  1995 Braves vs. 2005 White Sox.   I think the Braves are topheavy in this one... I don't know the Whitesox numbers or players for that matter but if there's a weak spot, it may have been Avery. 

 

I think the Sox set all sorts of records in 2005 post season.  One of only two teams to go 11-1 in the post season.  Only team in MLB history to have 4 consecutive complete games in the playoffs.