I have never followed the NBA or been a big fan of basketball, but I want to start watching and learning about the NBA. I’m excited to dive into the world of NBA basketball, and I understand the rules of basketball and everything but I am a complete newbie to the sport and a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of teams and players. I’m hoping you guys can help me make an informed choice on which team to support and start watching.

A little background: I’m a follower of European football, mainly FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC. But I would like to start watching the NBA more regularly. I’ve never followed the NBA before, but I’ve been hearing about it from friends, and I’m eager to get into the action. I live in Florida but I wouldn’t say that I have any geographic ties to a particular city, so I’m completely open to suggestions.

Here are a few things that might help you guide me in the right direction:

  1. Style of Play: I shouldn’t compare basketball to football/soccer, but I like watching teams that play fast-paced and have a unique playing style or philosophy (for lack of a better term).
  2. Players: I don’t want to be a bandwagon and just support players and teams that are just the most well-known.
  3. Team Culture and History: Preferably a team with maybe some history and a passionate fan base.
  4. Rivalries: A team with at least one big rival team.
  5. Up-and-Coming Teams: Like I said, I don’t want to be a bandwagon supporter, so maybe a team that’s kind of in the middle or close to playoffs aiming the win the league.
  • eddkov@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Sacramento Kings would be a good team for you to support. They are a west coast team so it might be too late for the majority of regular season games but otherwise they are probably the best option.

    As far as east teams, the Cavaliers and the Pacers are good options. Both teams play good basketball and have some extremely talented young players.

    NBA fandom is different from football fandom, most teams are going to be playing more or less the same way with some variation based on personnel, which is why NBA fandom is predicated on stars. The game is 5 on 5 so one extremely good player has way more impact on a game than just about any other team sport. Its perfectly fine to watch games because you want to see a certain player rather than a team.