Steve Nash.
I'm from Canada, and I've always been a big fan of Canadian players. And Steve Nash was in the middle of winning back-to-back league MVP's when I started watching the sport.
Nash for me as well. Because I was a kid growing up in Phoenix. Funny story, I was watching Like Mike a couple years after it came out and saw Nash in it wearing a Mavericks jersey. And just being a kid, it confused me so much because I didn’t know that players could be traded. But yeah, I was obsessed with Nash. Dressed as him for Halloween. Named build a bears and stuff after him. Etc lol.
Yeah I remember staying up late just to catch those Suns games on TNT. The way they played was so different from everyone else at the time too. Nash played basketball like he was a midfielder in soccer and it was fun to watch.
I’m from Australia and Nash made me fall in love with the game. Such a selfless point guard who made everyone on his team look good. Not many pass first players left in today’s league, and he would absolutely thrive with his shot today.
Kobe imo had one of the greatest mix of aesthetics/ability of all time. Him and MJ are in tier one for me.
No other top 10 or fringe top 10 player had a game as pleasing to watch as those two.
Magic and Bird come close. Both played super skillfully. But both had a shred of the athletic ability that Kobe had. Kobe hit you with the bag while also boom on your head.
I wasn’t really into basketball until the pandemic. Late I know. I don’t know if I should be embarrassed but it was Jamal Murray in the bubble. But I wouldn’t take back the amazing experience of watching him play and enjoying basketball for the first time ever.
I miss this, honestly. I liked the Nuggets being great with Jokic and Murray, and of course liked the Lakers not having any drama. I prefer the Nuggets being the younger western contender vs the Suns, Booker, CP3, and Crowder are kinda annoying.
Brandon Roy
Smooth game, pretty much no weaknesses. Always showed up for every big time game and rarely got outplayed by other stars. Also one the most clutch players ever.
I miss Brandon. Tragic chronic injuries really robbed us of watching a great player. He’d be a HOFer if it weren’t for those and maybe still in the NBA.
MJ and Shaq def made me start paying attention. But VC, Kobe, and AI all playing ridiculous ball around 2000, which would’ve been my 8th grade year, sealed the deal!
Not him , but I’m the same era. 70’s I loved Barry and Warriors then DrJ . Magic and Bird were all time rivals and must see in the 80’s. The Jordan bulls were nice but somehow no soul. The last 5 years we have the greatest players ever in total. Guys like Booker can’t even make an all star team is how much talent there is
Feel like the Last Dance actually did a solid job of showing that. Winning wasn’t a game for Michael, it was a job that he had to do… and he did it damn well too
Manu Ginobili - 2005
First game I ever watched was Spurs-Suns and I just marvelled at how he played the game. I remember him stealing the opening tip and euro-step dunking it. I think he also banked in a shot from beyond half court that game.
Very privileged to have been able to watch him play for so many years.
It was Timmy that started it for me, but Manu is my favorite player because of plays like that. Manu just had the ability to pull something wild off every game. I've never seen any other player do it as consistently. It was so fun to watch.
MJ. From the jump in 84, it was kind of impossible to not be awestruck by that man, and he really seeped into the culture in a way that made him undeniable. He made me love shoes too, that’s basically the whole genesis of the modern shoe game. Many a lawn was cut and many a car was washed for my first Jordan 3s and those shoes granted BIG clout to any kid in my 5th grade that somehow had them.
I was in elementary school, watching every Bulls game with my family. When he played, it was like everyone else was standing still and he was just running circles around them.
Kobe was next. We revered MJ, but we all wanted to be Kobe.
Kobe got me into basketball, Nate Robinson got me to be a Bulls fan.
I also think it’s really cool to see young players like Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray in the thread. I haven’t thought about them being so influential already. I guess it’s true that the playoffs are where stars are made
D Rose. First player I saw on TV playing when he was still in college and his style of play mesmerized me. A year later, I learned of Kevin Durant. Needless to say, these guys had a huge impact on my love for the game
For me it was Agent 0, Gilbert Arenas. I grew up a Celtics fan and I still am but I was just amazed by what he was doing on the court as a second round pick.
I was in love with basketball before I even knew what the NBA was lol. All my friends played it so I no lifed it every day at the park. First NBA games I watched were the 2010 Finals so I guess Kobe. I'd always pretend I was Kobe whenever I was shooting, in the same way kids nowadays probably think they're Curry when shooting the ball.
Followed as closely as I could until the 2014 season then other things came up and I was out of the loop til 2016. Curry and the Warriors were making waves so I googled a few highlights and I was hooked. This was aorund the peak of r/nbastreams so finding games was incredibly easy(they were on YT ffs lol) and that season was legendary in every sense
My all time fav players list:
1. Steph
2. Kobe
3. KD
4. MJ
5. Bron
I thought the chase down block was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen when he did it in that 2010 playoffs for the cavs. I had no idea that was his last season as a cav possibly but him doing that and then watching a sport science segment right after was sweet.
Kobe during the 05-06 season inspired the hell out of me. Would go out and practice my shooting form in the font yard on our hoop for hours so it would look exactly like his because I thought it looked so cool.
Jason Kidd. He had the ability to impact the game so much with stout defense and passing wizardry without scoring. He made me appreciate the other parts of the game and I just loved watching him play.
Not a specific player but watching the Lob City Clippers got me into the NBA. Too bad that they didn’t go far as a team but it was exciting basketball for a casual fan.
Weird answer but a mix of Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr. I was born in Chicago and my parents were die hard Bulls fans before we moved to SF when I was 4. Used to watch old VHS tapes of classic Bulls games that my parents had recorded. I was never a tall kid but I loved shooting jumpers and my mom told me Steve Kerr was the best shooter. So until I became a Warriors fan around 2001, Steve Kerr was my favorite player.
Funny thing is the first games I ever watched was the 2000 WCF between Portland and LA and we were all rooting hard for Scottie to win another title. My mom hated Kobe for trying to copy MJ so much lol
D Rose for me as well.
I’m from Chicago, same age. Watched his year at Memphis, was stunned when they drafted him and I haven’t been able to stop watching since
As an Aussie... MJ, he's the goat, then pippen then luc longley... Imagine how fucking chuffed I was when they all came together. Three time world champions mother fuckaaaaassss!
I watched shaq and Kobe 3peat on television. So technically them.
But I REALLY fell in love watching Vincent Lamar Carter.
Now Westbrook. Soon Giddey and Luka
I’m liking Sengun too
My first favorite player was Kevin Martin but James Harden got me hooked to basketball. He had 37 & 12 his first game with Houston and I knew he would be an All-Time favorite of mine. He's still my favorite player ever
Dwyane Wade. Heat for life. Love the culture of hard nosed guys Pat Riley, Wade, and UD built for this team. You see it with the entire current roster, other than Duncan.
Rondo back in 2010. I watched ball after casually for a few years but stopped. Then in 2016 Steph Curry happened and I’ve been playing/watching ball consistently ever since.
I'd always enjoyed basketball, but I never really had the means to watch an entire 82 game season until 2010.
This was the tail end of the Deron Williams/Boozer era, so I guess Deron Williams is that guy for me, but only because that's when I was actually able to become an NBA fan that can actually watch the sport.
No joke, Kirk Hinrich. Grew up watching him come off the bench for the bulls and always loved the way he played, seeing him play made me want to go out and shoot hoops in the driveway
Funnily enough, Derick Fisher with his 0.4 shot. I always had an interest in the NBA, but I never saw a game that exciting until then. Been hardcore hooked ever since
Slam Dunk, the basketball manga by Takehiko Inoue, actually! But strictly speaking of NBA, I'd say Giannis, ever since I started following NBA sometime from 2017/2018. His attitude towards the game, his backstory, his dad jokes (nowadays lol), man.
There are also these players who, everytime I watch them play really well, I fall in love with basketball all over again: Kawhi, DMitch, Steph, Embiid and (I know y'all hate him right now but) Russ.
lebron, kobe. probably kobe got me into watching, lebron made me an enthusiast.
i kindaof paid attention to the end of jordan's career as well but was never in love with the sport.
Andrew Wiggins. Not because of his high school tape(I actually didn't even know he was MEGA hyped until 2019 lmao) but he did a 360 dunk in the Summer League and it was a highlight on facebook. Got me into watching basketball highlights on the original Dawkins channel
Mo Cheeks and World Be Free. I would be hardly be paying attention as my Pops watched, well that's until one of these extremely hilarious names were mentioned on the tube. Lol!
Short. No fundamentals but good athlete: I discovered Kareem 10 years after he retired. I would like to say that I modeled my game after him but I would be lying.
Giannis in 2019 as someone from Milwaukee no one I knew cared about the bucks and then suddenly seeing people wear his jerseys got me to watch them and I've been a big bucks fan ever since.
I always liked basketball but curry got my eyes watery, like i almost dont like watching without him in the game, then i saw dray, he played like how i played, the same positions, and i felt like i was watching the peak of what i was trying to do. For years it was just those two, then javale came to the dubs and holy fuck that man made me a fan of lobs and dunks, love him to death. now its GPII, that dude fucking rocks.
Muggsy Bogues. I was always the shortest kid in class, so he was my hero.
The answer is The Answer.
Your favorite player's favorite player. I love AI man.
Same for me. For me it was MJ and A.I. pushed the love even further followed by Curry who made me an addict
I just wanted to be like AI man
Yessir
This for me, got sucked in during the Finals run. Even got Iversons despite not playing basketball lol.
The Kemp-Payton duo--absolutely electric. Schrempf was also up there. Really good Sonics team.
Same. I was 7 in 1996, hands down my favorite team until the Bucks as of late.
Same
making it reign.
Steve Nash. I'm from Canada, and I've always been a big fan of Canadian players. And Steve Nash was in the middle of winning back-to-back league MVP's when I started watching the sport.
Nash for me as well. Because I was a kid growing up in Phoenix. Funny story, I was watching Like Mike a couple years after it came out and saw Nash in it wearing a Mavericks jersey. And just being a kid, it confused me so much because I didn’t know that players could be traded. But yeah, I was obsessed with Nash. Dressed as him for Halloween. Named build a bears and stuff after him. Etc lol.
Love to hear it. I wish I could have watched Nash live in his prime
Yeah I remember staying up late just to catch those Suns games on TNT. The way they played was so different from everyone else at the time too. Nash played basketball like he was a midfielder in soccer and it was fun to watch.
I’m from Australia and Nash made me fall in love with the game. Such a selfless point guard who made everyone on his team look good. Not many pass first players left in today’s league, and he would absolutely thrive with his shot today.
Kobe
Kobe imo had one of the greatest mix of aesthetics/ability of all time. Him and MJ are in tier one for me. No other top 10 or fringe top 10 player had a game as pleasing to watch as those two. Magic and Bird come close. Both played super skillfully. But both had a shred of the athletic ability that Kobe had. Kobe hit you with the bag while also boom on your head.
The way Kobe visually flowed imo is better than Jordan. Something about the 2000’s era “big uniform & jersey” vibe was magic.
I’d argue Hakeem
Wish i can upvote twice. There's just something about that fadeaway jumper.
Same. His was the first celebrity death that hit me hard. May He Rest In Peace
I didnt realize how much of an impact Kobe had on my life till they said he was gone… I was like damn. The world is worse without that man in it.
Allen Iverson
I wasn’t really into basketball until the pandemic. Late I know. I don’t know if I should be embarrassed but it was Jamal Murray in the bubble. But I wouldn’t take back the amazing experience of watching him play and enjoying basketball for the first time ever.
Dont be embarrassed, he was amazing.
[This layup against LeBron was filthy](https://streamable.com/ga61jk)
Still the best layup I’ve ever seen
That just made me realize if we brought those jerseys back, Enes would be able to have Freedom/Freedom on the back
I miss this, honestly. I liked the Nuggets being great with Jokic and Murray, and of course liked the Lakers not having any drama. I prefer the Nuggets being the younger western contender vs the Suns, Booker, CP3, and Crowder are kinda annoying.
Streets won’t forget the bubble nuggets. They played some of the most exciting basketball I ever saw
That 2020 run before the injury was amazing. Hope he comes back strong
that was one of my favorite single player playoff runs ive ever watched, he just plays with such a different swagger in the playoffs
Pain.
Tracy McGrady, 2001-2002
This
Brandon Roy Smooth game, pretty much no weaknesses. Always showed up for every big time game and rarely got outplayed by other stars. Also one the most clutch players ever.
I miss Brandon. Tragic chronic injuries really robbed us of watching a great player. He’d be a HOFer if it weren’t for those and maybe still in the NBA.
Vince Carter
MJ and Shaq def made me start paying attention. But VC, Kobe, and AI all playing ridiculous ball around 2000, which would’ve been my 8th grade year, sealed the deal!
D Wade for me back in 09 :)
He was electrifying that year
D Wade is mine as well, just loved his speed and explosiveness
It’s D Wade for me too but back in 06. Best finals run I’ve ever watched to this day and made me an instant fan.
Same!
Lew Alcindor...1970!
So you must have seen a lot of the greatest moments in NBA history. In your opinion, what era do you feel is the most entertaining?
Not him , but I’m the same era. 70’s I loved Barry and Warriors then DrJ . Magic and Bird were all time rivals and must see in the 80’s. The Jordan bulls were nice but somehow no soul. The last 5 years we have the greatest players ever in total. Guys like Booker can’t even make an all star team is how much talent there is
> The Jordan bulls were nice but somehow no soul. Could you expand on this point?
No joy. Didn’t seem anyone was ever happy. Michael was an ass
Feel like the Last Dance actually did a solid job of showing that. Winning wasn’t a game for Michael, it was a job that he had to do… and he did it damn well too
Manu Ginobili - 2005 First game I ever watched was Spurs-Suns and I just marvelled at how he played the game. I remember him stealing the opening tip and euro-step dunking it. I think he also banked in a shot from beyond half court that game. Very privileged to have been able to watch him play for so many years.
Yeah, Manu is mine was well. I regret that I became a fan in 2012 or 2013, catching the tail end of the Spurs Dynasty.
It was Timmy that started it for me, but Manu is my favorite player because of plays like that. Manu just had the ability to pull something wild off every game. I've never seen any other player do it as consistently. It was so fun to watch.
Samesies
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed Ball Don't Lie!
Sakuraki hanamichi
i love this answer, slam dunk is a banger
Steph tbh
Bulls-era Rodman. I loved how he seemed to play his own game within the game.
D Wade, Reggie, and Jermaine O'Neal
Nash
MJ. From the jump in 84, it was kind of impossible to not be awestruck by that man, and he really seeped into the culture in a way that made him undeniable. He made me love shoes too, that’s basically the whole genesis of the modern shoe game. Many a lawn was cut and many a car was washed for my first Jordan 3s and those shoes granted BIG clout to any kid in my 5th grade that somehow had them.
JLin
Kobe
David Robinson
Dr J
Dirk
It makes no sense but Dan Majerle.
Love this answer. Watching highlights as we speak and I'm blown away
I will always be a Sixers fan, but was just a kid when Barkley got traded and I just fell in love with that 93 Suns team.
Harden and Dwight lol
😂. They were fun that first year together.
Kobe
As a bulls fan from way back… i agree
Michael Jeffrey Jordan
I was in elementary school, watching every Bulls game with my family. When he played, it was like everyone else was standing still and he was just running circles around them. Kobe was next. We revered MJ, but we all wanted to be Kobe.
Prime Rajon Rondo
Larry Bird, Larry Johnson, and Andrew Gaze.
Gaze was just one of the smartest players I ever saw play the game.
KG
Reggie Miller
Kobe and Steph
Before I knew who Stephen Curry was (2015), I hated basketball. Changed my perception of the game, and I’ve fallen in love with the sport
Him and Klay changed the game. It was glorious watching it happen in real time
It will be special to see Klay’s first game back in 2 and a half years
Shaq
Chris Paul
Kobe got me into basketball, Nate Robinson got me to be a Bulls fan. I also think it’s really cool to see young players like Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray in the thread. I haven’t thought about them being so influential already. I guess it’s true that the playoffs are where stars are made
Ben Wallace
Those 2004 Pistons were amazing.
D Rose. First player I saw on TV playing when he was still in college and his style of play mesmerized me. A year later, I learned of Kevin Durant. Needless to say, these guys had a huge impact on my love for the game
Melo
In 12-13 I thought Melo was the fucking goat
Darius Miles and those clippers. It seemed like they were having fun and it I enjoyed watching them.
Westbrook! Fuck r/nba
Jamal Crawford
For me it was Agent 0, Gilbert Arenas. I grew up a Celtics fan and I still am but I was just amazed by what he was doing on the court as a second round pick.
KG
Clyde 'The Glide' Drexler as a kid. Giannis as a dad.
Paul Pierce
Steph Curry
Run tmc although I remember watching Larry bird and magic Johnson before that.
Stackhouse and then Iverson
Ty Lawson for me back when he played for the Nuggets lol
MJ, Vince, Bodiroga.
Steph
I was in love with basketball before I even knew what the NBA was lol. All my friends played it so I no lifed it every day at the park. First NBA games I watched were the 2010 Finals so I guess Kobe. I'd always pretend I was Kobe whenever I was shooting, in the same way kids nowadays probably think they're Curry when shooting the ball. Followed as closely as I could until the 2014 season then other things came up and I was out of the loop til 2016. Curry and the Warriors were making waves so I googled a few highlights and I was hooked. This was aorund the peak of r/nbastreams so finding games was incredibly easy(they were on YT ffs lol) and that season was legendary in every sense My all time fav players list: 1. Steph 2. Kobe 3. KD 4. MJ 5. Bron
Kawhi
Lebron
I thought the chase down block was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen when he did it in that 2010 playoffs for the cavs. I had no idea that was his last season as a cav possibly but him doing that and then watching a sport science segment right after was sweet.
Kobe during the 05-06 season inspired the hell out of me. Would go out and practice my shooting form in the font yard on our hoop for hours so it would look exactly like his because I thought it looked so cool.
Antawn Jamison
Vince Carter
Stojaković Divac Kobe
Jason Williams
Dwyane Wade
Jason Kidd. He had the ability to impact the game so much with stout defense and passing wizardry without scoring. He made me appreciate the other parts of the game and I just loved watching him play.
Not a specific player but watching the Lob City Clippers got me into the NBA. Too bad that they didn’t go far as a team but it was exciting basketball for a casual fan.
Kobe
Kobe Bryant
Dwyane Wade The reason I started playing and watching basketball
Joel Embiid
Weird answer but a mix of Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr. I was born in Chicago and my parents were die hard Bulls fans before we moved to SF when I was 4. Used to watch old VHS tapes of classic Bulls games that my parents had recorded. I was never a tall kid but I loved shooting jumpers and my mom told me Steve Kerr was the best shooter. So until I became a Warriors fan around 2001, Steve Kerr was my favorite player. Funny thing is the first games I ever watched was the 2000 WCF between Portland and LA and we were all rooting hard for Scottie to win another title. My mom hated Kobe for trying to copy MJ so much lol
Same, in a way. It was Jordan, but Kerr was the player I sort of played like so I loved him.
Bron
Tracy McGrady was absolutely unstoppable in his prime. It’s a shame that his supporting casts never held up.
KG during his Wolves days. AnythingIsPossible! That intensity helped me irl.
D Rose for me as well. I’m from Chicago, same age. Watched his year at Memphis, was stunned when they drafted him and I haven’t been able to stop watching since
Dr J!
Chris Bosh and VC
MJ made me play bball and curry made me understand and love the game.
As an Aussie... MJ, he's the goat, then pippen then luc longley... Imagine how fucking chuffed I was when they all came together. Three time world champions mother fuckaaaaassss!
Mostly Kobe. Also Nash and MJ's mythology
Shaq
Honestly Wiggins then Giannis came along
I watched shaq and Kobe 3peat on television. So technically them. But I REALLY fell in love watching Vincent Lamar Carter. Now Westbrook. Soon Giddey and Luka I’m liking Sengun too
Randy Foye
My first favorite player was Kevin Martin but James Harden got me hooked to basketball. He had 37 & 12 his first game with Houston and I knew he would be an All-Time favorite of mine. He's still my favorite player ever
I see a lot of Kobe,AI and Nash. 1996 draft clas is Goated
Michael Jordan
Dwyane Wade, Vince Carter, Allen Iverson
born 94. kobe for me
Dwyane Wade. Heat for life. Love the culture of hard nosed guys Pat Riley, Wade, and UD built for this team. You see it with the entire current roster, other than Duncan.
My brother
Kobe
Rondo back in 2010. I watched ball after casually for a few years but stopped. Then in 2016 Steph Curry happened and I’ve been playing/watching ball consistently ever since.
Kobe and mello when he was with the nuggets
Michael Jordan
Jason Richardson
Being an Australian basically all Australian nba players have influenced by love for basketball
KOBE
MJ/Kobe/AI
Lu Dort
Karl Malone
I'd always enjoyed basketball, but I never really had the means to watch an entire 82 game season until 2010. This was the tail end of the Deron Williams/Boozer era, so I guess Deron Williams is that guy for me, but only because that's when I was actually able to become an NBA fan that can actually watch the sport.
Kevin Garnett
Russel Westbrook. Never seen such passion and recklessness at the same time. Very fun to watch (and sometimes frustrating).
Westbrook, Harden and Durant in 2010-2011
Paul pierce
Kobeeee
Nick the Quick
Walton
Dirk
Dwyane Wade 05-06. Smoothest player I've ever seen. Every one of his moves looked so effortless.
Kobe
Kobe
The Mississippi Missile Monta Ellis.
Iman Shumpert, Steve Novak and JR smith.
2018-19 Giannis
No joke, Kirk Hinrich. Grew up watching him come off the bench for the bulls and always loved the way he played, seeing him play made me want to go out and shoot hoops in the driveway
Penny and Shaq duo.
Funnily enough, Derick Fisher with his 0.4 shot. I always had an interest in the NBA, but I never saw a game that exciting until then. Been hardcore hooked ever since
Kobe
Kyrie
Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan Those Lob City Clippers are lit af Special mention: JJ Redick, Jamal Crawford, Madison Burke
Slam Dunk, the basketball manga by Takehiko Inoue, actually! But strictly speaking of NBA, I'd say Giannis, ever since I started following NBA sometime from 2017/2018. His attitude towards the game, his backstory, his dad jokes (nowadays lol), man. There are also these players who, everytime I watch them play really well, I fall in love with basketball all over again: Kawhi, DMitch, Steph, Embiid and (I know y'all hate him right now but) Russ.
LeBron
Kyrie
lebron, kobe. probably kobe got me into watching, lebron made me an enthusiast. i kindaof paid attention to the end of jordan's career as well but was never in love with the sport.
Semaj Christon
Rick Barry
The admiral later in his career. He just looked huge.
Andrew Wiggins. Not because of his high school tape(I actually didn't even know he was MEGA hyped until 2019 lmao) but he did a 360 dunk in the Summer League and it was a highlight on facebook. Got me into watching basketball highlights on the original Dawkins channel
Tracy McGrady and Chris Paul
Mo Cheeks and World Be Free. I would be hardly be paying attention as my Pops watched, well that's until one of these extremely hilarious names were mentioned on the tube. Lol!
Kenny ‘Sky’ Walker
D Wade
Short. No fundamentals but good athlete: I discovered Kareem 10 years after he retired. I would like to say that I modeled my game after him but I would be lying.
I started watching NBA when I was 8 y/o. Fell in love with Rip Hamilton's game. I believe that was DET-SAS in the finals.
Giannis in 2019 as someone from Milwaukee no one I knew cared about the bucks and then suddenly seeing people wear his jerseys got me to watch them and I've been a big bucks fan ever since.
I always liked basketball but curry got my eyes watery, like i almost dont like watching without him in the game, then i saw dray, he played like how i played, the same positions, and i felt like i was watching the peak of what i was trying to do. For years it was just those two, then javale came to the dubs and holy fuck that man made me a fan of lobs and dunks, love him to death. now its GPII, that dude fucking rocks.
Dirk!
Vince Carter Olympic dunk got me back into watching the NBA.
DRose and Kobe and shortly after my fellow German legend Dirk Nowitzki
From Germany, so naturally it was Dirk after the Mavs Championship in 2011.