Who did you grow up watching and idolizing?

I patterned my game after kevin johnson growing up

Kobe

Hakeem "the dream" Olajuwon, I can't remember how many times I rolled my ankle trying to mimic his moves.

I was introduced to MJ by my great aunt as a youngin' , but I grew up watching the Nets during the Kidd-KMart-RJ era and the Spurs sporadically in the title runs after the '99 championship. A.I. was also a big deal (NBA 2K1 for Dreamcast - Memories). So for me, it was:

MJ
Kidd
Duncan
A.I.

Kobe has been my favorite player since the McDonald allstar game of 1996. However I can say that I modeled my game after him. I would have to say mike bibby. A pg guard that could wel and get to th he had about my same type build and speed

when i started watching, the guys i first really came to love and want to patter my game after were the very young first in the league versions of penny hardaway and jason kidd. Those were probably my two favorites until a few years later when kobe came along.

I practice ever day trying to get my crossover as smooth as his

Kobe x Adam Morrison*

I'm a big Hornets fan, and have been since I was about five. The first players I tried to emulate were Mr. Tyrone MFer Bogues and Kendall Gill.

Juwan Howard. I was tall in elementary school hated MJ watched my Bullets get swept out the first round.

I grew up watching and loving Yao, Shaq, AI, T-Mac, Kobe, Timmy, and KG. The first game I ever watched was the first matchup between Yao and Shaq, I was really mesmerized by the two big men and how they were able to maneuver and play with such strength and craft in the post.

Steve Nash, loved his passing and not to mention his amazing shooting. My favorite player in any sport

I also liked penny Hardaway, he was one of the few "big" point guards to play the game. Even though I played center if I got a rebound I would try to push the ball up the court by myself and make a play

Larry Bird.

This man soon became my favourite player in his second season....86-87 season

Jordan, although Tim Hardaway is my favorite player and who I tried to emulate practicing in my backyard. I was able to crossover and do a scoop shot like Hardaway, couldn't quite get up like Mike.

Reggie Miller - I love running off-screens and jacking up shots.

Growing up all I wanted to do was simply throw down 360 windmills like Vince Carter so I have to go with him.

allen iverson,t-mac, steve francis, gilbert arenas good old days they all inspire me to play basketball.d

I played point so I tried to emulate Jason Kidd, loved his allaround game (I actually had a quadrouple double in my senior year) The way he way he rebounded then pushed the ball up the floor and still locked down on D is pretty rare. Even tho I played point I loved bigs. Hakeem specifically, I incorperated his postmoves into my game, lots of my points in highschool were scored off of moves likehis. Not necessarily posting up but attacking stopping, faking and quickly countering.

my favorite players to watch as a kid are karl malone and grant hill.

but i patterned my game to jason kidd and jason williams. i wasn't big and do not posses great athletic abilities so i focused my game on playmaking and spot up shooting

I'm a total cliche, I grew up in Chicago during the Jordan years so growing up it was MJ but the person I model my game after is Steve Nash. When I got to high school I had long dark hair, discovered I was white, and coincidentally I lead my district in assists.

I Idolized Shaq and Penny... Penny was that dude on the court... I loved to see Shawn Kemp catch lobs from GP. In college I was all about Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, Shammond Williams, Ed Cota. That tar heels team was my all time favorite!

I really had a man crush on amare stoudemire in 2007 when I was in 8th grade...still love him lol... but aside from him... I just miss the old piston teams that used to dominate on defense... those were the days from 2002-2008...I first ever started to watch bball in the 2002-2003 season when I was 9 years old... brings back lots of memories

I really had a man crush on amare stoudemire in 2007 when I was in 8th grade...still love him lol... but aside from him... I just miss the old piston teams that used to dominate on defense... those were the days from 2002-2008...I first ever started to watch bball in the 2002-2003 season when I was 9 years old... brings back lots of memories

Tracy McGrady first season on Orlando was the year i really took an interest in the NBA and his smooth play and athletic ability was so appealing to watch.

My biggest memories of watching basketball when I was a kid was watching Kobe, AI, and T-Mac with my older brother and sister.

I've never idolized anybody, but Reggie Miller was my favorite player growing up and I watched those 90's Pacers teams.

I also fell in love with the 1996 NBA Draft Class. AI, Camby, Marbury, Abdur-Rahim, Allen, Kittles (one sock up, one sock down), Walker, Nash, Kobe, JO... There was just something about that draft class that brought me closer to the game.

When I started playing in 3rd grade all I ever heard about in school was Jordan, Jordan, Jordan. Then I saw highlights of Magic during the '89 All-Star Game when he was hurt and not playing. I was in awe. Someone that big who could pass and dribble like he did shocked me. You mean there was more to this game than sticking your tongue out and dunking? I wasn't shooting 3's or dunking at that age, but I could at least practice the things I saw Magic doing. I still couldn't be happier with identifying with a player at such an early age.

besides MJ, I was a big fan of Barkley, Penny, Larry Johnson, and KJ. I also liked the Kemp-Payton combo in Seattle.

Kobe always been my favorite player but I use to think T-Mac was better he just made the game look so easy he could score 40 on you and look like he was even trying. My brother was big Penny Hardway fan so I grew up liking him too.

Kobe
T-Mac
Penny
Iverson
Baron Davis
Gilbert Arenas

Jordan, Hakeem, Garnett

Jason richardson as a warrior

Had what I didn't have: handle.

Reggie Miller when I was young and sort of watched with my parents. Tracy McGrady when I started watching on my own for real.

Basically I was always a huge Cs fan and Larry was the best of the best.

When I was actually playing ball in high school the main man was Dino Radja and since we had similar games, I'd say I took a lot from him.

I was never an MJ fan and always routed against the Bulls but man I loved watching him play. I think I just hated all the good teams that won all the time as I was growing up which would explain my hatred for the Dallas Cowboys. I am also from Philly so that could have something to do with it.

Once AI came on the scene I was hooked. He will always be my favorite athlete. It is just a shame the sixers never got a solid #2 scoring option to play with him. They had CWebb (washed up at the time) and Big Dog (who was even more washed up). The Sixers drafted Larry Hughes 8th overall in 1998. Dirk went 9th and Paul Pierce went 10th. Way to start your career as a GM passing on two hall of famers Billy King. I will always wonder what could have been...

Larry Bird was and is my hero. Something incredibile was in his hands and in his mind.

T-Mac was probably who tried to emulate the most on the court until I realized I was never going to be tall and had to be a PG. Then I started working on my game differently and realized I tried a lot of the things Derrick Rose does so he immediately became my favorite player.