Looking back, when did you start following the NBA?

[Raps in 4]

The 1996/97 finals between Utah and Chicago.

[Dread-Eye]

For many years I was a mild observer of the NBA. Back when the Chief (Robert Parrish) was with the Bulls, John Starks was with the Knicks & Barkley was with the 76ers.

I watched NCAA religiously......loved March Madness. I remember my favorite NCAA player was Conrad McRae from Syracuse. He was a 6'9" PF that was very athletic (kind of like Kemp). He was drafted in the 2nd round by the Washington BULLETS (the NBA had them change the name to Wizards because of the bad reputation Washington had for gun violence), but McRae never made the NBA.

I remember when Christian Laettner hit the winning shot for Duke to win it all (one of the best basketball games - ever) & Grant Hill was a "good prospect" (but not as big a name as Laettner)..lol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY-iq58_oz4
Then came Allen Iverson as a Freshman with Georgetown. I watched him grow into an NBA player (He was AMAZING in College - dunked all the time). He was my favorite basketball player period (& I would still argue that he played some of the most exciting basketball that any one player has ever played)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4lFZVC5Utg

Then T.O. finally got an NBA team in 1995........& I've been watching the NBA faithfully ever since...

Good times!

EDIT: Can anyone guess who that Villanova player is that's guarding Iverson in that pictue?? He was JYD & Kerry Kittles teammate!

Alvin Williams, those were the days. I remember McRae. He played on that nice team with Lawerence "Poerty In" Moten, John Wallace (former Raptor) & Adrian Autry (One of the best players not to make it to the NBA).

My 2nd year in high school 1986-87 Season, where I was a huge "ShowTime" Lakers fan. Also that year was the first time I watched NCAA ball, saw the Syracuse vs. Indiana game, where Keith Smart hit that shot to win it. Became a huge Syracuse fan, and been one every since. That's when I realized that the NCAA was a feeder system to the NBA. So I would watch NCAA ball as much as the NBA.

And looking back I was a fool not to go to the Georgetown vs. Memphis game at Maple Leaf Gardens back in 1995, when Iverson was a Freshman. That would have been something to see. I actually turned down tickets to that.

Then in 1988 became a huge Jordan fan, even though I was still a Lakers fan, because at that time the Bulls were a one man team. Got my first J's that year, Jordan's IV.