[Lotto StudParticipant]

Question of the Day: What was your earliest memory of meeting your first professional athlete in person?

Eric Williams – Boston Celtics: Around ‘96, I met him in Vineland, NJ in his neighborhood at the park. He was actually at the court working on his game by himself in a jogging suit.

[ChrispyParticipant]

 His dad was a janitor at my elementary school. Despite his son making it, he refused to retire and worked there until he reached his 30th year of work. Mark came by the school a few times a year and would shoot hoops with us and sign autographs. They were probably the kindest, nicest family ever. Made me jealous!

[Evan_MilbergParticipant]

I met Jahidi White at some random fan meet-and-great in 1999 at my town’s local Kmart. He was hosting some 3 pt shooting contest inside the store, and I think the winner got a pair whatever the latest NBA-brand sneakers were at the time. Everyone who participated got an autograph, though. Looking back, the idea of Jahidi White, a 6’9 290 lb mammoth who probably never made a 3, hosting a 3 pt shootout in a Kmart is hilarious. 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

First professional athlete- I met several members of the ny giants at an exhibition softball game when I was about 9 yrs old.

First nba players- I remember meeting both John Crotty and Lloyd Daniels at a basketball camp in about 4-5th grade. Not sure which one was first. 

I also remember playing one on one with al Harrington at a basketball camp shortly before he was drafted out of high school.

 

  

[HobbyOGParticipant]

 I meet Dr. J. I see him all the time in Atlanta, nice guy always smiling, same with Dominque and Mutombo. 

 

[cohenbc1Participant]

I went to Rudy T’s basketball camp in the early ’80s. I got a "P" on him in a game of PIG! Celtics’ legend Sam Jones was also there.

 

  

[bigfungotitdone5timesParticipant]

 first pro athelte i met was andre the giant. he was so massive he scared me as a little kid

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

The first NBA player I met was Antonio Davis back in the early 90s. It was right after a game vs the 76ers (with Clarence Weatherspoon and Jerry Stackhouse). He stayed on the floor after the game and signed autographs. 

That same night, I met Reggie Miller, Derrick McKey and Haywoode Workman. I saw them all at TGI Friday’s after a game lol. McKey and Workman were really cool about signing autographs. We saw Reggie coming in and he actually tried to walk away real quick when he saw us coming lol. I thought he was an ass for that, but he was still my favorite player lol. 

 

[RUDEBOY-Participant]

 First professional athlete I met was Oscar Robertson I was about 14 in Dayton, Ohio.That night some friends and I went to The Nutter Center to watch Wright State play. And they Honored him at Halftime. After the game we went to the McDonalds where my brother managed to get some freebies . My brother and another manager meet us outside and said he was inside eating and they pointed out his car. A real nice looking dark brown & gold trimmed Rolls Royce with a Sunroof. The funny thing about it they were the only people who know or maybe cared who he was. Becuz he was sitting alone. Nobody bothered him or stared at him like a lot of Stars .A few minutes later he comes out carrying a shake or a drink. At the time I was about 6’3 . I had seen his height listed at 6’5 that had to be wrong Becuz standing next to him I could plainly tell I was about an inch or 2 taller. Nobody amongst us said anything .They just stood and stared at him. So I said Mr. Robertson, we were at the game and congrats on your award. He thanked me and shook my hand. They everybody else shook his hand. Before he left he took a napkin and wiped the window on the driver side. No kidding he wiped it for maybe 5 minutes before finally getting into his car. I told him to have a safe trip back to Cincinnati.   Meet Jerry Rice about 1991. My cousin and I had been out cutting yards that summer. And on our way to return the equipment to our uncle. When Jerry pulls up beside us in a Mazda Miata and asked us were we cutting yards? Immediately I said yes! He gave us $200 apiece to cut his Mother in Law’s grass. 

[holefillers1Participant]

 Shawn Bradley rolled up to Sixers camp in a Porsche 911.  That’s all I remember 

[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

 How in the world can Shawn Bradley fit in a Porsche 911 lol?

 

 

 

 

[cominup7Participant]

 First player I met was Penny Hardaway at a Perkins restaurant in Memphis when I was about 12. Had to do a double take because he was just eating breakfast by himself and nobody was bothering him. I asked him for an autograph, he was real cool

Met Eddy Curry at O’Hare airport a few years later and he was cool too and gave his autograph

 

[cohenbc1Participant]

In 1995 or so, I was walking down Sixth St. in Austin TX — it’s like the poor man’s version of New Orleans’ Bourbon St. — and saw Dennis Rodman walking toward me. This was when he played for the Spurs. He was injured at the time, and I said, "Hey Dennis, how’s the knee (or ankle, or foot, or whatever, I don’t remember. I was on Sixth for the usual reasons). He was really cool, said thanks for asking and it was doing great, he’d be back on the court soon. I got the impression I could have talked hoops with him for a few minutes there on the sidewalk, but then a group of girls recognized him and started shrieking and gathering around him. He gave me a look like: Sorry dude, but duty calls.

[BallerScriptParticipant]

 For me its a bit different because I live in New Zealand
In 2014 I got to see Josh Childress sit on the bench during a pre-season game between the Sydney Kings and the NZ Breakers.
Then I got to see Markelle Fultz play a preseason game here before his amazing freshman season.

 

 

 

 

 

[HayatoKanzaki1Participant]

 I’ve met Jason Richardson back in 05 or 06 and got his autograph. I also got Brandon Bass and Birdman Andersons and Maciej Lampe Autograph when they played for the Hornets too. Could have got Desmond Masons but he completely ignored me. I admit. I didn’t have basketball cards or a jersey and I didn’t even know I’d be in a position for an autograph. He didn’t want to sign a piece of paper so its cool. I also saw Matt Barnes in a Wal-Mart. Dude was hella tall. I was looking at how tall he was but he gave me a side eye and looked like a piranha that wanted meat so i didn’t ask him anything.

[aktripleParticipant]

 I met klay thompson gordon hayward and seth curry in a mcdonalds after a fiba u18’s world championship game in NZ i told them nice game and they said thanks, klay got a big mac.

After moving to sydney ive met sam young, al harrington Josh childress and the other nba rejects who played like 12 games for the sydney kings. 

Eric Gordon came out and hosted a three point shootout in sydney last year as well he was pretty chill

 

 

[nateoak10Participant]

 Grocery store parking lot when I was like 12 lol

[MkadozaParticipant]

 I’m from the same town from Elton Brand, and for quite a few years we had an Elton Brand day basketball camp by the river front. He was a coach for one of the early ones. We were doing drop step drills, and because I was "tall" I played as a center/pf for most of my career pre college. I did a good drop step and he said to me, "Nice footwork, big man." I believed I was good. I was wrong.

Met Vince Carter the same way.

As an aside, my senior year fo high school, I worked at Knicks camps for my internship. So I met Trevor Ariza, and sat at a lunch table with Penny Hardaway, Malik Rose, and others

 

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