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One of the things I love about running an NBA fan account in the UK, is the fantastic NBA UK community that I get to be a part of.
Everyone is super supportive of each other's work and I wanted to show my support by helping you get to know the people behind the fan accounts.
So, without further ado, here is Getting to Know the NBA UK Community.
Part 4 - The Eastern Conference Fan Accounts
What’s your name, where do you come from and who are you reppin?
My name is Ben Glasspool, I'm from Newbury, Berkshire, and I'm reppin Philadelphia 76ers UK.
How did you discover basketball?
I went to Philadelphia for a city break in 2018 whilst studying in the US, whilst there I thought I'd check out an NBA game to see what the fuss was about.
Who do you support?
Philadelphia 76ers
Why do you support your team?
I went to the previously mentioned game, I went with an open mind and no prior interest in basketball, afterwards I just kept following it, keeping up to date with Sixer results, etc to the point now where I don't miss games and am totally hooked on it all!
If you had to choose 1 game to convince a new basketball fan to support your team, what game would it be?
Hate to say it, but the Sixers Raptors Game 7 has to be a good shout to get people into basketball! That buzzer beater (although heartbreaking) would get anyone to see why basketball is such a great sport! Special mention for the Spurs Heat game with THAT Ray Allen shot.
You need to build a 3 x 3 team, choose your current favourite player and your all-time favourite player to join you.
Looks like its me, Damian Lillard, and Michael Jordan haha
Have you ever had the opportunity to go to a live NBA game, if so when & where? If you’ve been to more than one which was your favourite?
I've been to 2 NBA games and 1 NCAA game. The NBA ones were the 76ers V Hornets at Philadelphia in March 2018, I also saw the Celtics V Bucks in Boston for game 1 of their 2018 play off series in April. I hate the C's, but that game was definitely the better one to be at as a spectator, Rozier drained a stepback 3 seemingly to win the game before Khris Middleton sent it to OT with a 37ft buzzer beater, was incredible and so was the atmosphere.
NCAA game was Texas V TCU which was a fun experience.
What are your social media handles or websites where fans can find you?
My Twitter is @UK76ers where I just talk all things Sixers, also have a personal twitter @benglasspool if you want more, do also have a YouTube channel also called UK76ers, it's still a work in progress though so be patient with me!
Both the channel and Twitter page may be a bit dormant for a few weeks though as I am currently finishing off my dissertation so I've been a bit preoccupied. But that'll be all done in December, just in time for the new season!
What’s your name, where do you come from and who are you reppin?
Martin Haisley, Wigan. I run the @uk_knicks Twitter account.
How did you discover basketball?
I recall watching Space Jam on a family holiday to Orlando. I became intrigued with the game of basketball from that point.
Who do you support?
New York Knicks
Why do you support your team?
I’ve always loved hoops and I collected a variety of NBA jerseys during secondary school starting in 2003. I got a Melo, LeBron and Wade jersey that year, but I never became affiliated with any one team, instead I watched as a casual fan.
I became a fan of the Knicks when I visited New York City for the first time and watched them play the Raptors in the early 2010’s. MSG is a special, special venue and I fell in love with the Knicks the moment I stepped into the building.
If you had to choose 1 game to convince a new basketball fan to support your team, what game would it be?
I did not watch it live but I had the DVD of Knicks v Bulls at Easter in 2012. Knicks won a thriller in OT against a very good Bulls team. ‘Melo for three....Bang! That one goes down. Knicks by one.
You need to build a 3 x 3 team, choose your current favourite player and your all-time favourite player to join you.
Carmelo Anthony
Frank Ntilikina
Have you ever had the opportunity to go to a live NBA game, if so when & where? If you’ve been to more than one which was your favourite?
I’ve been lucky enough to watch the Knicks in New York and in London on a number of occasions. My favourite game was vs. Hornets at MSG in November 2016. Knicks won in double OT following some clutch buckets from Melo.
What are your social media handles or websites where fans can find you?
At the moment, I’m just on Twitter @uk_knicks.
However, watch this space...
What’s your name, where do you come from and who are you reppin?
Matt Hardy from Swindon, I run UK Nets Fans.
How did you discover basketball?
There were quite a lot of early influences really. I remember going to an older cousin's house and they had Kobe and MJ posters up on their walls, so that’s sort of sparked it for me. I wanted to be in to it because they were. Off the back of that, I got some NBA games for the N64 – we’re talking the mid-90s here – so I played those to death. The jerseys, the music, the athleticism, it all totally hooked me in.
Shortly after that the internet became more of a thing, so I remember watching AND1 mixtapes and Vince Carter's Slam Dunk contest highlights. I remember Allen Iverson being a bit of a hero, which I’m sure a lot of kids can relate to. Plus, the aura around him was on another level.
I went on to play at secondary school and spent about a decade away from the NBA not following, until the early 2010s when a colleague was into it, and the love got reawakened.
Who do you support?
The only team worth supporting in New York, the Brooklyn Nets.
Why do you support your team?
When I decided to get back into basketball, I decided pretty quickly that it’s more fun if you have a team that you follow. I started getting back into the NBA properly ahead of the 2012-13 season, a year after the Nets had made the move from New Jersey and rebranded as the Brooklyn Nets. I decided that as they were the new team, I’d be a new fan with them. The branding, overall coolness and the fact Jay-Z was a minority owner helped too.
If you had to choose 1 game to convince a new basketball fan to support your team, what game would it be? That’s a tough one. The Nets have had such a slow, steady ascendency it’s hard to pinpoint one game to get a new fan hooked to this team.
From this season, it’d have to be Kyrie scoring a super-efficient 54 points against Chicago, shortly after Kobe Bryant passed away. It was one of those crazy performances where everything he touched went in, whether it's crossing people up and doing a 360 lay-up or drilling a 35ft buzzer beater, it looked like he had a cheat code on! You can’t not enjoy watching basketball like that.
You need to build a 3 x 3 team, choose your current favourite player and your all-time favourite player to join you.
Current favourite might be controversial, because (at the time of writing) he’s not played a game for the Nets yet, but it’s Kevin Durant. A 6’11” elite shooter who can handle like a guard? There’s pretty much nothing he can't do, so he’d make it into my 3 x 3 team.
My all-time favourite is a toss up between Shaq and Vince Carter. Vince because of the flashy dunks and the New Jersey connection, but Shaq because of his sheer dominance.
I think if I’m running the offense for this team I’ll want to be throwing lobs, so give me VC and KD.
Have you ever had the opportunity to go to a live NBA game, if so when & where? If you’ve been to more than one which was your favourite? I’ve been to two NBA games; one in London as part of the NBA Global Games, which was the Nets against the Hawks, and one in Barclays Center against the Heat for Game 4 of the 2014 playoffs. Even though the Nets lost that game, watching Lebron score 49 points was pretty special.
It was a bit of a rush getting there pretty much straight from the airport, so the details are a little hazy, so I'll definitely have to go back. What are your social media handles or websites where fans can find you?
I also host the ‘BK to UK podcast’, available wherever you get your podcasts, and you can check out the website at UKNetsFans.com
What’s your name, where do you come from and who are you reppin?
My name is Matt Shearer and am representing Raptors Fans UK... but also ‘Off The Backboard UK’ on Facebook.
How did you discover basketball?
I started playing basketball aged 14 way back in the early 90s. I was lucky enough to play for the Plymouth Raiders development team all the way through to u18s level.
I watched NBA basketball from the start, wasn’t any Raptors games on UK tv back then... most I saw was highlights of when the Raptors beat the 72-10 Chicago Bulls :)
Who do you support?
Toronto Raptors
Why do you support your team?
When I was in school my school team all had to be diff no one person followed the same team...I needed to find mine.
I got the 1995/96 panini sticker album and saw the two new expansion team logos advertised and as they were Canadian teams I felt obliged to pick one (as I have Canadian dual citizenship). I picked the logo I preferred most which no shock happened to be the Raptors.
If you had to choose 1 game to convince a new basketball fan to support your team, what game would it be? Hmm I was gonna say Game 7 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Semi Final against the 76ers where Kawhi’s buzzer beater bounced 4 times before going in.
However a fantastic one for a new fan to watch from this past season was in December vs Dallas. The raps came back from a 30 point deficit to take the win. They trailed 83-53 with just over 2mins left in the 3rd Qtr but pulled it back with a fantastic defensive display. It was the Biggest comeback in Raps franchise history and the NBAs largest in over a decade.
You need to build a 3 x 3 team, choose your current favourite player and your all-time favourite player to join you.
Michael Jordan (GOAT) .... Kyle Lowry....can I have Vince Carter as a sub??
Have you ever had the opportunity to go to a live NBA game, if so when & where? If you’ve been to more than one which was your favourite? I have been fortunate to see several games live in Toronto.
My favourite had to be Raptors vs Bulls in 2017.
Raptors were playing in their Blue ‘Huskies’ jerseys and DeMar DeRozan dropped 42 points in an overtime victory.
What made it more memorable was the tribute to Jerry Kraus pre game and the Fist fight between Serge Ibaka and Robin Lopez. What are your social media handles or websites where fans can find you?
My personal accounts...
@UKRaptorfan on twitter
@UK_RaptorFan on Instagram (which shows off my Raps merch and my sneaker obsession)
Raptors accounts...
And also...
‘Off The Backboard UK’ on Facebook for general basketball chat ranging from NBA to the BBL.
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