First overall memory, first big moment memory, first draft memory, anything that’s on your mind.
I was born in 98. I know my dad watched basketball and I saw the Hinrich/Deng/Gordon Bulls teams but I don’t have any concrete Bulls memories pre-Rose. My first basketball memory is this halfcourt shot by Manu Ginobili in the 2005 WCF en route to a Finals win. From this moment on Manu was my guy and the Spurs were my #2 team until Duncan retired. A black Ginobili jersey is one of just three that I own! What sparked this question is that I was listening to a nostalgia playlist that I put on a single-digit number of times per year and on came “This is How a Heart Breaks” by Rob Thomas, the theme for the NBA playoffs that year.
So what’s your first basketball memory? Does it still have an impact on who you cheer for these days? I’m kind of without a second team right now- after the Duncan-Manu-Parker team ended I loved the Mitchell-Gobert Jazz which are now done. Might go back to the Spurs now because that place in my heart is still there and Wemby is awesome! Could also go with OKC- I’ve always liked Giddey a lot and Shai-Chet is such a fun duo.
Very young me remembers the 1986/87 Lakers Celtics finals. I also remember the shock of the Pistons finally pushing through in 88. I didn’t watch the last game of the series and saw it on the news while I was playing with my GI Joes. Till that point I was sure the NBA was just a bunch of teams that played all season and then they just had the Celtics play the Lakers every year. When I was a teen it was the 1990 Supersonics. Xman was my favorite player. That was the first year when I could actually talk the game and understand it well enough.