El Mariachi
Rookie
- Aug 29, 2013
- 26
- 18
- AFL Club
- Essendon
So here's the situation.
I'm 30 and have been NBA fan since the early 90s. I think the 1992 draft really hooked me in with Shaq and Zo going 1 & 2. Been following it closely ever since, with one thing that keeps bugging me.
When talking ball with other like-minded tragics, that pesky question inevitability is thrown my way... "who's your team?!".
It's always awkward to answer as someone who's been so into the league for most of my life with a "no one?".
Unlike any other sport, as a fan I've always followed NBA player's careers rather than a team. I was a huge Zo fan growing up, but when he up and left for Miami, I continued to follow him, with no allegiance or emotional tie to the Hornets. And such has been the pattern since. Got so much love for players past such as Mourning, Wilkins, Kemp, Barkley, Webber, Hardaway, Hill.... and the same for my current-day faves, Griffin, Curry, KG, Rose, LeBron and so many more.
So I need your help. Help me pick a team!
Throw some questions my way if you think the answers will help you put together a case for any particular team.
I'll rule out a few teams straight off the bat. RAPTORS, GRIZZLIES, PELICANS, HORNETS, HAWKS, NUGGETS, MAVERICKS, HEAT, PISTONS, JAZZ and 76ERS, MAGIC, CAVS, BULLS, BUCKS, WIZARDS. I've got no real emotional connection to any of these current franchises.
As for the others, here are a few thoughts on the contenders, as pertinent or insignificant as they are:
CELTICS: Love their history of success and legendary list of past-player legends. Was seduced by them again during the big 3 era and am a big fan of Rondo. The rest of their current list however may be an acquired taste. Great franchise, but is the current roster watchable enough to keep me coming back? I like the idea of Boston as a town, Affleck has made a comeback now, right?
NETS: I must admit, the re-branding caught my eye, love the look and feel of these guys. Have always been a Jay-Z fan. Massive KG guy, and Deron was a beast at his peak. Does being a Nets fan assume I've jumped on the NBA bandwagon in 2012? To most, probably.
KNICKS: Just one of the great franchises in all of world sport, let alone the NBA. Excluding Melo, hardly exciting in recent times, but hey, it's the Knicks. They're good enough for Spike.
PACERS: You couldn't be mistaken for a bandwagon fan if you are a Pacers guy. I like that. PG is fantastic, but a few off-season changes has me thinking if their recent success has been a blip on the radar and if they'll soon become as vanilla as they've been in recent times past.
WARRIORS: I like them. I like them a lot. They were on my shortlist before coming here. Love the roster they built. Curry is my kind of guy. I went to school with Bogut so there is that connection. The Bay Area seems beautiful, but they've piqued my interest only the past few seasons. What about the last 20 years? Where was I? I was paying attention when a rookie Webber was tearing it up with Mullins and Hardaway, and Baron Davis was dunking all over the place, but the rest is a but of a blur.
LAKERS: Kobe is probably the guy I've followed the closest for his whole career. I guess I was closest to being a Lakers fan early on than any other team. I see them as a similar pick to my beloved Essendon (as I do the Celtics), a traditional powerhouse. They're not going well right now, which is fine. But does waiting for Kobe to retire, then trading in their next good team seem a bit manufactured? it might. Not sure how that sits with me.
CLIPPERS: Another short-listed pick. Huge fan of Griffin. CP3. Even Reddick and Jordan. Joe Ingles gives the Aussie connection. And I like that they're the 'other' LA team. Uniforms sexy as hell. The only draw-back, do I boo Kobe now, is the team I don't really hate, a sworn enemy now?
THUNDER: A tricky one. I think if the Sonics were still around, I would have chosen them and stuck with them. I was a big Kemp fan back in the day and something about the city of Seattle and those colours feel right to me. Imagining KD and Westbrook in the Sonics colours is a dream I wish never disappeared. But I can't help but feel like due to the circumstances, this is every reason why I shouldn't go for them. Very confusing.
TIMBERWOLVES: For a small-market team, there is something I like about them. From Isiah Ryder in the dunk contest, to KG really putting them on the map, they're a cool team to me even if they hardly register on most people's radars. The Spaniard Rubio joining is interesting, and with Love there, it seemed like a good choice, knowing he's now departed leaves me wanting a bit. Will their young talent be enough to keep me dreaming of success? Each year they tease of doing big things and seem to sh*t the bed each time.
SPURS: A great pick I feel as an Aussie. Mills and Baynes increases the interest level a fair bit. Duncan is the NBAs Dustin Fletcher, probably a bit more revered by the general public
They win, a lot. There's not much to dislike about them. They are just a good team. But in the Heat v Spurs finals I found myself wanting LeBron and the Heat to get up, I don't know why. Are they too clean-cut?
BLAZERS: An off-broadway working-class team. Not flashy, but get it done. Built a good team. The closest geographically to Seattle, if in theory, that's who I would have chosen. I like them a lot now, but never had much affinity for them in the past for some reason.
KINGS, ROCKETS & SUNS: Part of me just likes the idea of throwing all logical reasoning and bias out of the window and just blindly saying, I follow one of these guys. Just because. Start a fresh relationship with a team and be taken along for the ride. All have a lot to like, so great young talent.
So, have at it guys!
Would love to hear an outsider's opinion plus maybe the reason why you picked your team.
I'm 30 and have been NBA fan since the early 90s. I think the 1992 draft really hooked me in with Shaq and Zo going 1 & 2. Been following it closely ever since, with one thing that keeps bugging me.
When talking ball with other like-minded tragics, that pesky question inevitability is thrown my way... "who's your team?!".
It's always awkward to answer as someone who's been so into the league for most of my life with a "no one?".
Unlike any other sport, as a fan I've always followed NBA player's careers rather than a team. I was a huge Zo fan growing up, but when he up and left for Miami, I continued to follow him, with no allegiance or emotional tie to the Hornets. And such has been the pattern since. Got so much love for players past such as Mourning, Wilkins, Kemp, Barkley, Webber, Hardaway, Hill.... and the same for my current-day faves, Griffin, Curry, KG, Rose, LeBron and so many more.
So I need your help. Help me pick a team!
Throw some questions my way if you think the answers will help you put together a case for any particular team.
I'll rule out a few teams straight off the bat. RAPTORS, GRIZZLIES, PELICANS, HORNETS, HAWKS, NUGGETS, MAVERICKS, HEAT, PISTONS, JAZZ and 76ERS, MAGIC, CAVS, BULLS, BUCKS, WIZARDS. I've got no real emotional connection to any of these current franchises.
As for the others, here are a few thoughts on the contenders, as pertinent or insignificant as they are:
CELTICS: Love their history of success and legendary list of past-player legends. Was seduced by them again during the big 3 era and am a big fan of Rondo. The rest of their current list however may be an acquired taste. Great franchise, but is the current roster watchable enough to keep me coming back? I like the idea of Boston as a town, Affleck has made a comeback now, right?
NETS: I must admit, the re-branding caught my eye, love the look and feel of these guys. Have always been a Jay-Z fan. Massive KG guy, and Deron was a beast at his peak. Does being a Nets fan assume I've jumped on the NBA bandwagon in 2012? To most, probably.
KNICKS: Just one of the great franchises in all of world sport, let alone the NBA. Excluding Melo, hardly exciting in recent times, but hey, it's the Knicks. They're good enough for Spike.
PACERS: You couldn't be mistaken for a bandwagon fan if you are a Pacers guy. I like that. PG is fantastic, but a few off-season changes has me thinking if their recent success has been a blip on the radar and if they'll soon become as vanilla as they've been in recent times past.
WARRIORS: I like them. I like them a lot. They were on my shortlist before coming here. Love the roster they built. Curry is my kind of guy. I went to school with Bogut so there is that connection. The Bay Area seems beautiful, but they've piqued my interest only the past few seasons. What about the last 20 years? Where was I? I was paying attention when a rookie Webber was tearing it up with Mullins and Hardaway, and Baron Davis was dunking all over the place, but the rest is a but of a blur.
LAKERS: Kobe is probably the guy I've followed the closest for his whole career. I guess I was closest to being a Lakers fan early on than any other team. I see them as a similar pick to my beloved Essendon (as I do the Celtics), a traditional powerhouse. They're not going well right now, which is fine. But does waiting for Kobe to retire, then trading in their next good team seem a bit manufactured? it might. Not sure how that sits with me.
CLIPPERS: Another short-listed pick. Huge fan of Griffin. CP3. Even Reddick and Jordan. Joe Ingles gives the Aussie connection. And I like that they're the 'other' LA team. Uniforms sexy as hell. The only draw-back, do I boo Kobe now, is the team I don't really hate, a sworn enemy now?
THUNDER: A tricky one. I think if the Sonics were still around, I would have chosen them and stuck with them. I was a big Kemp fan back in the day and something about the city of Seattle and those colours feel right to me. Imagining KD and Westbrook in the Sonics colours is a dream I wish never disappeared. But I can't help but feel like due to the circumstances, this is every reason why I shouldn't go for them. Very confusing.
TIMBERWOLVES: For a small-market team, there is something I like about them. From Isiah Ryder in the dunk contest, to KG really putting them on the map, they're a cool team to me even if they hardly register on most people's radars. The Spaniard Rubio joining is interesting, and with Love there, it seemed like a good choice, knowing he's now departed leaves me wanting a bit. Will their young talent be enough to keep me dreaming of success? Each year they tease of doing big things and seem to sh*t the bed each time.
SPURS: A great pick I feel as an Aussie. Mills and Baynes increases the interest level a fair bit. Duncan is the NBAs Dustin Fletcher, probably a bit more revered by the general public
They win, a lot. There's not much to dislike about them. They are just a good team. But in the Heat v Spurs finals I found myself wanting LeBron and the Heat to get up, I don't know why. Are they too clean-cut?BLAZERS: An off-broadway working-class team. Not flashy, but get it done. Built a good team. The closest geographically to Seattle, if in theory, that's who I would have chosen. I like them a lot now, but never had much affinity for them in the past for some reason.
KINGS, ROCKETS & SUNS: Part of me just likes the idea of throwing all logical reasoning and bias out of the window and just blindly saying, I follow one of these guys. Just because. Start a fresh relationship with a team and be taken along for the ride. All have a lot to like, so great young talent.
So, have at it guys!
Would love to hear an outsider's opinion plus maybe the reason why you picked your team.
