when did you first become a die-hard laker fan?

[therobg125]

i used to not really pay any attention to NBA basketball until i got into college...but my grandmother and one of my best friends (her other grandchild) used to watch the games together....and one day he called me and told me kobe was the best player he's ever seen... and i argued that lebron was better (2006)....but then i watched my first entire NBA game and watched kobe just destroy ....i've watched every single lakers game since....skipping out on dates to watch, leaving work early to get home in time....etc...i've watched every single game ....that is up until this gut-wrenching season....i've missed a few this season though, just can't stomach the emotionless play....but regardless i'm still a die-hard laker fan....same as i am a colts fan, stuck with my colts through all of last season, watching every game, but with this much talent, i must say this is harder to watch than my last season's colts team lol....but i've calm down a bit and i can see us making a decent playoff push , well maybe....good luck to all you other lakers fans and god bless....happy to be a part of the fam....hopefully im accepted ;op

[semi-sentient]

I can't remember exactly when I started watching the Lakers, but I became more than just a casual fan in the '85 season. From that point forward I started checking USA Today box scores daily to see what players were doing as I couldn't catch every game, and I never missed a game that was nationally televised. My step-father was a Lakers fan so I guess that's what got me into basketball in the first place and I was fortunate enough to start following basketball in the middle of the golden era when the Lakers and Celtics were battling it out.

I stopped being a die-hard fan after Magic announced his retirement in '91. I guess it kind of shook me up as it did many fans. When Magic returned in '96 I started watching them again religiously, and when we got Shaq I went back to being a fanatic.

[Doormatt]

yesterday

[TheMidnightSun]

94-95 season i think, it was before shaq came to la, nick van exel was and in most cases still is my favorite laker, albeit i am not really a die hard fan anymore, i just love the game, the last laker loss that upset me was game 4 of the 2008 nba finals when the lakers choked away a 20 point lead, after that i grew a callous to losing, i still root for the lakers but i just give a **** if they lose anymore, i just like watching good basketball,

[TimmerFredette]

When I was 7 years old, I remember my dad watching the All-Star weekend festivities and decided to watch with him.

During the dunk contest, I found myself rooting for this skinny kid in his warmups. At the time, the between-the-legs dunk he did was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. Since then, I said HE's my favorite player and THAT's my favorite team, lol. I was born in Long Beach, and since I lived overseas when I was young I claimed the Lakers as "my team", but that dunk contest is what really got me into the NBA.

[monk302]

I followed the Golden State Warriors because I was a Jamaal Wilkes fan.When he signed with the Lakers in 1977 I went with him (LOL).1977-present.

[Kilroy]

I started watching with my dad for Magic's rookie season, but I was too young to be a real die hard fan... I just realized the other day that it really started for me with the '81 victory over the Sixers... (I was a huge DrJ fan too)
We went to games then but my dad joined the Lakers Club after that and got to rub elbows with some famous fans.
I sat courtside for a couple games too. Had Worthy take the ball out at my feet once.
We made a couple trips that included taking in a laker game too.
When Kareem retired, some of the shine wore off for me (and my dad), and I drifted away a bit and focused on my own sports. But when Magic retired, that was it for me... I'd catch a game or two here and there on TV but I wasn't really interested until we got Shaq (didn't think much of Kobe at the time)...
Then I worked downtown about a block away from Staples, and was there for parades 1 and 2 of the 3 peat. Which kind of got my passion for the team going again.

[JustAwesome]

It's been so long that I don't remember the exact year. It was during Showtime. As a kid, how can you not me mesmerized by Magic Johnson and his style?

[FrobeBean]

to be honest, I first discovered NBA basketball in 1998 when I was about 6. I played NBA live 98 and I only know jordan then but for some reason I ended up using the lakers on that game. Since then I have been following the lakers from the Shaq-Kobe era to now.

[Jukapuka]

Probably around year 2000. One of my first memories of NBA basketball is playing NBA Live 2001 with my cousin. Since my cousin loved the Lakers, it was pretty natural I started to follow them too. Ok, not really, because I was only about 5 or 6 at the time, but the Laker love stayed ever since.

[hermes]

i haven't yet

[Kobe System]

'96

[StarneyBinston]

'96

Same for me. I was a big Shaq fan as soon as he entered the league (although I was 6 at the time) and when he went to LA I started following the Lakers and instantly became a fan. Then I learnt more about the history of the franchise, etc. and I've been bleeding purple and gold since.

[Anklebreaker702]

Started watching as a young kid the season or 2 seasons before Magic got there. Became a die hard as a teenager in the 80's. Lakers or bust babaaaaaay

[louizzle]

'96

Same here. That team was my favorite Lakers team of all time. I remember growing up loving Nick Van Exel and his flashy style of play. Eddie Jones was also a beast when he was playing with the Lakers.

[DonJay21]

I started watching the Lakers in 81 - 82. My favort player was and still is Micheal Cooper. My first game that I attended was during the 82 - 83 season, Lakers vs Warriors high scoring game with, World B Free, Joe Barry Carrel, Previous Short. I remember the Lakers having besides Worthy, Magic and Kareem, we had Clay Johnson, Eddie Jordan, Norm Nixon, Jamal Wilkes, Kurt Rambis, Mike Magee, Bob McAdoo, Mitch was hurt with the knee. Forum Baby!!! Born in Compton, Ca and raised in Carson, Ca. I've have been a die hard for a very long time.

[Desiderium]

1996 was when i was a casual fan...i was 7 years old, kobe was traded to the lakers, and jordan went on to win his 5th championship against the jazz. of course i was an MJ fan, and after he retired, i jumped the ship to the lakers full time

[doozyj]

Diehard fan since 1980, 32 years ago, I watched pretty much every game since then missing only a couple games a season until the invention of the DVR, which now I miss none.

[Asianiac_24]

Always followed the team a bit, but only became a die-hard around 01 when the Lakers dominated every team.

[DEEP3CL]

Aww the classic "poster exposes his age" thread....!!

I can go back to win the Lakers had a starting 5 of

Kareem A. Jabbar
Adrian Dantley
Norm Nixon
Jammal Wilkes
Don Ford

And Jerry West was coach ! That was 77-78.....9 years old going on 10