How did you become a Celtics fan?

[cozmicf]

Hi,
   I was interested to know how you guys all became fans of this great team, especially if you're not from Boston (I'm from Australia!).

I only became a fan of the NBA in last years playoffs and a Celtics fan a few games in though I've been playing basketball since I was about 10. I became a fan thanks to Pierce, Allen, Garnett, and Rondo. I just loved their work ethic and how they moulded as a team, how they fed off each other and how each brought something different to the team. I hope the fact that they are future hall of famers and that they won a championship together doesn't make me a bandwagoner. They didn't (don't want to bring up bad memories) quite succeed last year or this year but I am still a huge fan.

Anyway, after the Mavericks crushed the Heat today I'm becoming partial to the Mavs since I wanted to see the heat destroyed but I also saw a reflection of my Celtics in the Mavs (age, experience, teamwork, etc). This got me thinking how people become fans of teams and what distinguishes a true fan from a bandwagon fan? How did you become a fan of the Celtics?

[samantha28]

I am a native Bostonian, so for me at least, being a Cs fan has been with me since childhood. I am fortunate enough to still be in college locally, so I have continued my fandom. It's surprising (in a good way) to me all the worldwide fans the Cs have.

[Donoghus]

I was born & raised in Massachusetts so it came pretty easy. 

I was born into being a Celtics fan.

[WeMadeIt17]

I was in 6th grade it was 2000-2001 season and the playoffs were on. My uncle john RIP was down from Maine and we were watching the playoffs. My dad is a Knicks fan and at 11 years old I started becoming more and more of a fan of the game, not only cause I played it but enjoyed learning. So I was on the verge of becoming A. A knicks fan because of my dad and my brother.. Thank God! B. A sixer fan because I loved Allen Iverson. But we were watching the Celtics game when we came back from dinner and my Uncle told me to watch this team. Watch this young player Paul Pierce, he is a outstanding player. And how Toine had an all around game. I watched that game and that was the game they went bizerk on the sixers in boston from down town. I still watch them till this day and will bleed green forever.

[cozmicf]

Oh wow, that's an interesting story.

It was (and still is) always hard to watch NBA here in Australia, so once we really entered the digital age I could choose this team and follow it online. A lot of my less-knowledgeable friends are lakers or heat fans (till today lol), it's comforting to know that the Celtics have a pure and loyal fanbase and I'm proud to be an international fan

Has anyone else become a fan without being raised in Boston?

[LiamB]

I live in England and picked a team in 2009 before I had watched any basketball game (been playing it for couple of years prior)
Didn't want to pick Lakers as they where champions
Didn't want Orlando as they where in the Finals
I thought the good teams stayed good like they do in English 'soccer' so I thought Chicago would be good seeing as though they had MJ
And that was the extent of my knowledge of NBA teams, except the Celtics, so i just went with the green

[Finkelskyhook]

Listening to Johnny Most on a little transistor radio in 1966 when I was supposed to be sleeping.

[PortCelt]

One day circa 1966 there was Russell, the parquet floor, Schenkel and Twyman. The rest is history.

[infiniteloop]

I was 10 and living in Los Angeles. I turned on the TV and watched the Lakers and Celtics in the NBA Finals. My favorite color growing up green, so I started rooting for the team with green in their uniforms. Magic hit the hook that game, and the rest is history.

Ended up suffering for a long, long time after that.

Oddly enough, I started rooting for the Red Sox for similar reasons. I turned on the TV and saw Roger Clemens going after Terry Cooney in the 1990 LCS and threw my support behind him and the Sox.

Being a Sox fan in LA isn't so bad, there's a sizable membership of Red Sox Nation out here. But being a Celtics fan is miserable. Laker fans are the absolute worst IMO (yes, infinitely worse than Yankee fans.)

[CelticSooner]

My Dad was a C's fan and I followed suit. Been a fan since like '91 or '92. Only really got to see the original Big 3 late in their careers. It was tough through most of the 90's I must admit.

[DavorCroatiaFan]

I'm from Croatia, and in 1986. as a 10 year old boy i had first experience with NBA...games on VHS...it was a time before internet and basketball was huge in Croatia back then with Dražen Petrović being a Croatian basketball God. But it was basically Celtics or Lakers. Thanks God, i choose green over purple-gold...and 25 years later i still bleed green.
Peace, pozdrav iz Hrvatske

[mgent]

Saw my brother watching the 04-05 playoffs.  The Celtics were getting their butts kicked and I sat down right about when the bench came in.  I'm pretty sure it was:

Marcus Banks (2nd year player)
Delonte West (rookie)
Tony Allen (rookie)
Al Jefferson (rookie)
Perkins?? (2nd year player) maybe it was Raef, can't remember

And they WIPED THE FLOOR with the Pacers.  Played ridiculous defense and scored every trip down, I remember Marcus Banks stealing the ball and making it from end to end with only THREE!! dribbles.  I was amazed.  They took the lead back, and I fell in love with TA and West.

Anyone remember what game that was?

[nyceltsfan]

My Dad was a C's fan and I followed suit. Been a fan since like '91 or '92. Only really got to see the original Big 3 late in their careers. It was tough through most of the 90's I must admit.

Same here - got it from my Dad, but I started watching in the early 90's.  I was a HUGE Reggie Lewis fan.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I'm from the Philippines. Back in the 90's, most of the people there who watches the NBA are either Bulls fans or Grant Hill or Penny Hardaway fans.

When I saw Antoine Walker play, that's when I got hooked. Then Ron Mercer came along and I got a little more hooked. Then Paul Pierce, and then I bled green.

[nickagneta]

1976...there were only 5 tv stations in Boston and nothing was on that night. Parents were playing cards and so I was allowed to watch tv in the living room, an old 19" black and white, it was all we had. Nothing but this championship game on channel 4 so I watched it because there was a Boston team involved.

Three overtimes later in the greatest game in NBA history I was a Jo Jo White, John Havlicek, Dave Cowens and Boston Celtics  fan for life.