Which Players did you idolize growing up/when you started watching?

[sammichoffate]

For me it was around 06 when I was about 12. I was born in Houston, so I was naturally drawn to T-Mac and Yao around that time. I also enjoyed watching Kobe, Ginobili, and Wade, along with Chauncey Billups and Nash.

[ottooooooo]

bran jamie

[Droid101]

93.

Favs were Shaq and Pippen.

[Bless Mathews]

Damn this board is young. Smh.


Magic first in mid 80's

Then my main man Tim hardaway in high school.

[no pun intended]

Bruno Caboclo.

[SouBeachTalents]

George Mikan

[red1]

grew up idolizing wiggins and parker

[NBAplayoffs2001]

For me it was around 06 when I was about 12. I was born in Houston, so I was naturally drawn to T-Mac and Yao around that time. I also enjoyed watching Kobe, Ginobili, and Wade, along with Chauncey Billups and Nash.

98

MJ

Around 2001

Vince Carter

Around 2010

Derrick Rose

[red1]

Bruno Caboclo.
:oldlol:

[sammichoffate]

Damn this board is young. Smh.


Magic first in mid 80's

Then my main man Tim hardaway in high school.Only 19 here :D Damn you got to watch Magic back in the day AND Tim Hardaway in HS? That's amazing :cheers:

[CHi1PriDe]

http://brentbensonphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MJ.jpg

Like Mike :cheers:

[sammichoffate]

Bruno Caboclo.Dat wikipedia page on draft night :roll:

[fatboy11]

When I first got into basketball, my favorite players were Derek Harper, Nick Van Exel, Charles Oakley, Juwan Howard, Anthony Mason, Rod Strickland, and Mitch Richmond.

[boozehound]

Bad boys were my team growing up. Loved Laimbeer and Salley when he came on board.

[Im so nba'd out]

i was a big time dirk fan when they use to play the kings and spurs every yr in the playoffs.So i use to try to shoot all of his fadeaway when i played in middle school/highschool

[Dreamin]

Brandon Roy. Hooked me to the game, was hard seeing him go out like that.

[20Four]

Sedale Threatt from the lakers back in the day! aww the memories he was quick

[sammichoffate]

Brandon Roy. Hooked me to the game, was hard seeing him go out like that.He was my best friend's favorite player too, he cried when Brandon Roy retired the first time :(

[KBaller33]

I'm really young compared to everyone else who has posted. I would say young Wade in like '05-'07. He got to the rim whenever the hell he wanted

[aj1987]

Shaq. He was basically the reason why I became a basketball fan. Didn't "idolize" him, but he was and is my all time favorite player.

[FatComputerNerd]

Clock winding down...Mark Price for three!!!

-That was me as a kid in my driveway :D

OBV everyone wanted to be like Mike though...

[Wavves]

Brandon Roy. Hooked me to the game, was hard seeing him go out like that.
Same for me man.

The one athlete that I completely idolized.

[Black and White]

Allen Iverson made me start watching it seriously, then Dirk, Kobe and Paul Pierce.

[aj1987]

Allen Iverson made me start watching it seriously, then Dirk, Kobe and Paul Pierce.
:oldlol:

[BuffaloBill]

Jason Kidd

[Myth]

I didn't have as much dislike for players as an uncorrupted child, so I liked most talented players. Looking at the 92 Dream Team is a good starting place of players I looked up to.

There were also a bunch of lower end all-stars and good role players I liked too: Oakley, Horace, Majerle, Hornacek and most Blazers just to name a few.

[smoovegittar]

Dr. J, Rick Barry, Nate Thurmond, Earl Monroe, Larry Bird, Clyde Frazier, Pete Maravich and Curly Neal, to name a few.

[9512]

Started to watch seriously in 1991.

Scottie Pippen

Larry Johnson (those grandmama converse shoe commercials :rockon: )

Shawn kemp (I just moved to Seattle that year).

[salwan]

ben wallace :rockon: :pimp:

[Bless Mathews]

Only 19 here :D Damn you got to watch Magic back in the day AND Tim Hardaway in HS? That's amazing :cheers:
Yea bruh.

I'm 38. Smh.

And Nate McMillan. Pure point guard.

[T_L_P]

Duncan, Glove.

[MP.Trey]

http://www.myhero.com/images/guest/g213570/hero53774/g213570_u60053_pacers17.jpg

http://media.philly.com/images/042814_Iverson_600.jpg

http://czwarta-kwarta.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/vince-carter.jpg

[thefatmiral]

my first memory was hakeem abusing shaq in the finals, from there i would try to replicate his moves at recess. mourning and the admiral as well.

[Sportal]

Growing up in New Zealand there really wasn't a lot of media on the NBA. As a, well, I was probably about 6 when I was playing on basketball hoops with Chicago Bulls backboards, so I knew of them and obviously MJ. But as I said, there was really no coverage, if I was in America I probably would have been watching the NBA for coming up to 20 years.. As a kid I did see a lot of Charlotte Hornets, Bulls and Lakers jerseys here.

But as a kid I seemed to prefer Shaq and the whole "Shaq-attack" line. When he moved to the Heat I followed him, but still with no real media and internet being limited/non-existant I had to wait for awhile to see the Heat play.

Now comes my idolisation for Wade, he was absolute dynamite. Amazing. My first NBA jersey was #3 of the Miami Heat. My second pair of shoes (my parents bought me AirZoom LeBron II's for my birthday one year), were Wade's black, white and red converses, I believe they were the first ones? Then I bought the second pair two, black with golden/yellow stitching.

Now, I support Miami, I would definitely pass that "name some Miami players" video that I saw online. But I just enjoy basketball as a whole now. Even though Miami lost, I have a lot of appreciation for the Spurs team, saw some fantastic plays during those Finals.

[dreamwarrior]

Magic Johnson. In 1990 my aunt bought me a life size MJ poster. I refused to hang it up until we moved to another house 5 years later and by then I took a break from being a nba fan

[pauk]

Larry Bird
Drazen Petrovic
Reggie Miller
and ofcourse... Michael Jordan... cmon...

[Roundball_Rock]

1) Pippen
2) Jordan
3) Shaq

[Droid101]

Larry Bird
Drazen Petrovic
Reggie Miller
and ofcourse... Michael Jordan... cmon...
Yeah, those are the guys you were watching when you first started watching the NBA? Then you turned off your tv for 10 years, then started watching bran?

Good one.

[DaSeba5]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/06/06/sports/YDRIBBLE/YDRIBBLE-blog480.jpg

http://www.nba.com/heat/sites/heat/files/hpg0405_041109_ejones.jpg

http://static.sportskeeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/udonis-haslem-1402387570.jpg

http://i.cbc.ca/1.2601244.1396893208!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/mourning-alonzo-620.jpg

[Milbuck]

Dirk, Kobe, T-Mac, and Shaq.

[TheMilkyBarKid]

98 Jordan, lakers shaq, dirk & jermaine o'neal circa 2004

[dubeta]

Anthony Davis

[JellyBean]

I was a tall kid back in the late 70s, so my idol was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I also liked and idolized Gus Williams, Jack Sikma, Dennis Johnson, and George Gervin.

[Done_And_Done]

Bruno Caboclo.

Nice :oldlol:


MJ all day for me

In terms of players I liked - Duncan, Shaq, Penny, Francis, Vince, Larry Johnson, Ewing, Kemp, Horry, list goes on...

[iggy>]

Allen iverson, vince carter, t mac, steve francis, jason kidd.

[STATUTORY]

Larry Bird
Drazen Petrovic
Reggie Miller
and ofcourse... Michael Jordan... cmon...

:coleman:

pauk really listed those names and not lebron

[NBAplayoffs2001]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/06/06/sports/YDRIBBLE/YDRIBBLE-blog480.jpg

http://www.nba.com/heat/sites/heat/files/hpg0405_041109_ejones.jpg

http://static.sportskeeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/udonis-haslem-1402387570.jpg

http://i.cbc.ca/1.2601244.1396893208!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/16x9_620/mourning-alonzo-620.jpg

Giving Eddie Jones a call out, the only dudes I like on your list though (including Shaq) :cheers:

[Warfan]

http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/3/87/188849/36018-0-600.jpg
http://news.upperplayground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1.png

[BlazerRed]

Jordan was the real first, but I was too young to REALLY appreciate his greatness. Garnett was my first favorite player when I was at the age to be more appreciative of the game.

[SamuraiSWISH]

Only one player gets hero worship from me.

[JellyBean]

http://dy.snimg.com/story-image/3/87/188849/36018-0-600.jpg
http://news.upperplayground.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1.png


:applause: Loved watching those guys back in the day. Run TMC.... I gotta get one of those sweaters for Christmas!!!!

[That_Admiral]

Duncan & Garnett

[dubeta]

Only one player gets hero worship from me.

apparently his cawk also gets your worship

[DaSeba5]

Giving Eddie Jones a call out, the only dudes I like on your list though (including Shaq) :cheers:

I can see why people dislike Wade, but why do you dislike Haslem and Zo?

[JohnFreeman]

http://ydmlabel.com/files/columns/kings_0.jpg
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2008/0608/nba_wade_580.jpg
http://images.askmen.com/galleries/men/allen-iverson/pictures/allen-iverson-picture-3.jpg

[Straight_Ballin]

Larry Bird was the man, then came Jordan. How many of you shot with your tongue hanging out your mouth to replicate Jordan?

[SamuraiSWISH]

apparently his cawk also gets your worship
My sacrifice for basketball's GOAT

:oldlol:

[Spaulding]

Barkley on the Suns.

[goldcrow]

Jordan, srsly any kid who grew up in the 90s idolized this guy. Then when he retired in '98 (wasn't a fan of him when he returned with the Wiz), this thin white German dude they call Dirk showed up. Took more than a decade of frustration and disappointment as a fan, most notably in the '06 finals before finally being rewarded with a championship in '11. :rockon: Still watch highlights of that 2011 Playoff run from time to time.

[Raj Da Dodge]

Started watching in '97 Hakeem, Barkley, and MJ were like gods to me since I met them (almost met MJ) that year so I grew up watching them.

[GimmeThat]

A.I. Kobe. TMac


pretty much tells you when I started watching basketball

[TheMan]

Magic Johnson.

Then my favorite team drafted a kid from North Carolina...

[Angel Face]

The guy on my avy.

[Round Mound]

Started Watching B-Ball cause of Magic Johnson. Then Learned About Larry Bird and The Badboys From Watching Old Tapes. Then Came The Dream Team and Sir Charles Became My Favorite Player Till Today: Watched The 1992-93 Season I Was In Aw. Infact, When Charles Moved to Play With the Rockets, I Stopped Watching B-Ball All Together (I Knew He Was Done). Was Never an MJ Fan. All My Friends Where MJ Bandwagon Fans.

[jaybee682]

I started watching in 89. The players I liked were MJ, Barkley, Kemp, Ewing, Pippen, Akeem, and Dominique.

[Deuce Bigalow]

Obviously Mikan for me but also Joe Fulks, people really forget just how good he was.

[ABG]

94. mj, muggsy bogues, mookie blaylock, chris webber.

[JohnFreeman]

94. mj, muggsy bogues, mookie blaylock, chris webber.
:bowdown:

[pauk]

Yeah, those are the guys you were watching when you first started watching the NBA? Then you turned off your tv for 10 years, then started watching bran?

Good one.


:coleman:

pauk really listed those names and not lebron


lol, even if Lebron was around at that time i wouldnt idolize him.... i like and would have liked Lebrons game, but that is as far as it goes... just like Michael Jordan in the 90s, i didnt idolize him, but as a kid i couldnt help but be one of those "Like Mike" kids on the playground, dude was like a god in the 90s...

Growing up i looked up to Drazen and why that is because he was from my country, a very admirable guy with a game i loved to pattern playing organized ball.... and the late Larry Bird was the first NBA player (and Celtics, team) i seen as a toddler, that got me to follow the NBA ever since, my father who was a player himself and then coach over here was a long time Celtics fan and a diehard Larry Bird fan, we had over 200++ Celtics/Larry Bird VHS tapes..... Larry Bird naturally became one of my favorite players of all time... when he retired and Drazen was gone there was nothing left but to take upon the next great pure shooter i liked, Reggie Miller... who became my favorite player of all time actually, growing up i patterned alot of his moves (moving without the ball, he had the nastiest bag of tricks there) on the court...

Pure shooting was always my thing, i grew up loving em all.... Larry Bird, Dale Ellis, Chris Mullin, Dell Curry, Drazen Petrovic, Reggie Miller, Mitch Richmond, Glen Rice, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (he was one awesome shooter at his short peak 94-96, this guy is & was horribly underrated) and etc...

How about you Droid101/Statutory? Whats the story? :)

[Djax12]

Started watching NBA games since 1991. Stockton to Malone all the way from the beginning.
Also became a big fan of Petrovic after watching the 1992 Olympic.

Oh, plus Bobby Hurley - Grant Hill - Christian Laettner, because our national TV somehow kept airing those Duke games almost every week back then ...

[pauk]

Started watching NBA games since 1991. Stockton to Malone all the way from the beginning.
Also became a big fan of Petrovic after watching the 1992 Olympic.

Have you seen some of Drazen from mid to late 80s? Dude had between 40-112 points every other night... on mostly jumpshots... playing 25-35 mins... :) I dont care about it not being NBA competition, it was just the most entertaining/unreal shit to ever see happen in a basketball court for me.... he would just heave em up, swish swish swish swish....

Reggie knows what he is talking about when he said that Drazen is the best shooter he ever seen...

[Djax12]

Have you seen some of Drazen from mid to late 80s? Dude had between 40-112 points every other night... on mostly jumpshots... playing 25-35 mins... :) I dont care about it not being NBA competition, it was just the most entertaining/unreal shit to ever see happen in a basketball court for me.... he would just heave em up, swish swish swish swish....

Reggie knows what he is talking about when he said that Drazen is the best shooter he ever seen...

Watched the footage from some of those games in youtube.
One of the best pure shooter ever, his release & form was as consistent as it can be.

[TheMan]

lol, even if Lebron was around at that time i wouldnt idolize him.... i like and would have liked Lebrons game, but that is as far as it goes... just like Michael Jordan in the 90s, i didnt idolize him, but as a kid i couldnt help but be one of those "Like Mike" kids on the playground, dude was like a god in the 90s...

Growing up i looked up to Drazen and why that is because he was from my country, a very admirable guy with a game i loved to pattern playing organized ball.... and the late Larry Bird was the first NBA player (and Celtics, team) i seen as a toddler, that got me to follow the NBA ever since, my father who was a player himself and then coach over here was a long time Celtics fan and a diehard Larry Bird fan, we had over 200++ Celtics/Larry Bird VHS tapes..... Larry Bird naturally became one of my favorite players of all time... when he retired and Drazen was gone there was nothing left but to take upon the next great pure shooter i liked, Reggie Miller... who became my favorite player of all time actually, growing up i patterned alot of his moves (moving without the ball, he had the nastiest bag of tricks there) on the court...

Pure shooting was always my thing, i grew up loving em all.... Larry Bird, Dale Ellis, Chris Mullin, Dell Curry, Drazen Petrovic, Reggie Miller, Mitch Richmond, Glen Rice, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (he was one awesome shooter at his short peak 94-96, this guy is & was horribly underrated) and etc...

How about you Droid101/Statutory? Whats the story? :)
:biggums:
Larry Bird died?

[Hands of Iron]

As far as watching live, Charles Barkley. :lol It was the 1992-93 season, I was six and I've lived in Phoenix my entire life. I learned to appreciate Olajuwon the following couple of years. As far as players who did their thing before my time and that I was introduced to by my dad and ESPN Classic during summer breaks from elementary school: Larry Bird. Easily.

[Raj Da Dodge]

For me it was around 06 when I was about 12. I was born in Houston, so I was naturally drawn to T-Mac and Yao around that time. I also enjoyed watching Kobe, Ginobili, and Wade, along with Chauncey Billups and Nash.
You still live in Houston?

[dr.hee]

Started watching in the late 90s/early 00s...Stockton, Iverson, JKidd and as a German I naturally became a Dirk homer growing up.

[SCdac]

to name (or picture) a few......

http://boston.sportsthenandnow.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/6a01156f2c3287970c014e5f48c503970c-800wi.jpg

http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Images/Cards/Basketball/2594/2594-693219Fr.jpg

http://www.magicbasketball.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/penny.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn200/nbacardDOTnet/zz%20NBA%20Photo%20Gallery/y%20NBA%20etc/y%20Little%20Big%20Men%20n%20Giants/0%20Little%20Big%20Men/Tyrone%20Muggsy%20Bogues/TyroneBogues006.jpg

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JKidd_Grant_ROY.jpg

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ca/f6/64/caf6648486ea70dd344634b31516880f.jpg

[Choke94]

Shawn Kemp
John Starks
The Worm

[bagelred]

The NBA hadn't started yet when I was a kid, but when I was a teenager, George Mikan was most definitely my hero.


Oh shit....I've said too much....distract them, bagelred.....



How bout that Lebron James? So unclutch right? He's terrible!!! Kobe is so much better........




Nice! Works every time....heh heh........

[Sakkreth]

Sabonis.

[La Frescobaldi]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEXdeMlJGaA/TaokFJ-9YuI/AAAAAAAAAy4/CrnkDcN08XI/s1600/waltfraizer_display_image.jpg

Schooling Baylor.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/02/19/sports/basketball/otd_wilt/otd_wilt-blogSpan.jpg

The Captain on the quarterdeck.

[SCdac]

Sabonis.

wish this dude was in the league now :bowdown:

[Jailblazers7]

Jordan
Iverson

[Velocirap31]

Vince Carter, Iverson, TMac. Never liked Kobe and Shaq.

[atljonesbro]

Started watching in 03 because of Wade.

[sammichoffate]

This thread showed me a lot of things about the people on ISH. :cheers:

[Mure]

Started watching in 89. MJ, Magic, Bird, Shaq, Bark, Kobe, Bron.

[Crown&Coke]

Eddie Jones had me practicing my reverse layup daily.

But I wanted be a be a mix of Gary Payton/Jason Kidd because I wanted to be a 6'4" point guard who could dominate on either side of the ball

Young Maurice Taylor was my dude. He was on a dysfunctional Clippers team that had so much talent. Sounds like the story of every Clippers team though.

I think anyone who grew up in the 90's has to say MJ

[Mass Debator]

Tim Hardaway, Jordan, AI, Kobe, Wade, and now Kyrie.

I followed a lot of those Webber's Kings, Pippen's Blazers, and KG's Wolves too...

[Duggrr]

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/ca/f6/64/caf6648486ea70dd344634b31516880f.jpg

Two of the GOAT uniforms and my two favorite 90's players. (Excluding Olajuwon)

:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:

[Smook A.]

Michael Jordan

Hakeem Olajuwon

Allen Iverson

Vince Carter

Tracy McGrady

[Lamar Odumbb]

Nick and Eddie

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tumblr_m4c4znjNmt1qd42iyo1_500.jpg

[BigBoss]

Slavs Medvedenko

[D-FENS]

1990 - Larry Bird, Reggie Lewis, Kevin McHale and I always liked Magic and Rodman.

[colts19]

Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, KAJ, Walton, Pistol Pete. Oscar, Magic and Bird.

[andremiller07]

#1 Andre Miller
#2 Dough Christie
#3 Brent Barry
#4 Kerry Kittles

[Solidape]

Nick and Eddie

http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tumblr_m4c4znjNmt1qd42iyo1_500.jpg

My man, can't believe there is another Nick & Eddie fan in da house, major reps!

Nick at night and Eddie Jones running lakeshow got my Laker mania to new heights.

Used to get hyped like a mofo watching Nick lob alley ops to Eddie, Eddie, Eddie!

[Fawker]

young asses trying to be nostalgic for nothing. who idolizes more than 1 player? it doesn't make sense. you can like a bunch of players but the idol is the holy grail.

jordan was the gateway to many in the early 90's. then you branch out from him as you learn more of the sport.

[scandisk_]

92-93's MJ, Chuck and Chewing :rockon:

[Taller than CP3]

'93 Suns

Sir Charles Barkley

[clipps]

Brand, Maggette, Miles, Q. From other teams, Vince, AI,Yao, KG.

[AnaheimLakers24]

kobe
kareem
jermaine oneal
ai

[havoc33]

Used to be a massive football fan, but switched to basketball in the mid 90s. Pippen was for sure my favourite player. Just loved his allround game. Really enjoyed Penny as well. And it's been a fascinating journey following Kobe's career all the way from 96-97. You could see he had talent, but I never expected him to reach the heights that he did.

[joeyjoejoe]

Barkley, Malone, Zo, Wilkins

[Jasper]

earl the pearl

[INDI]

First basketball clip I ever saw was Stockton making an amazing pass and I was hooked (still to this day my favorite thing to do is get an assist).

Shortly after that I was introduced to Tim Hardaway and tailored my game around the two.

[Lebron23]

Michael Jordan

My dad gave me a Black Bulls jersey when I was 8 in '95.

[D-FENS]

My man, can't believe there is another Nick & Eddie fan in da house, major reps!

Nick at night and Eddie Jones running lakeshow got my Laker mania to new heights.

Used to get hyped like a mofo watching Nick lob alley ops to Eddie, Eddie, Eddie!

http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/img/lakers/season_photos/season_1994_1995.jpg

Ceballos was the man on those teams