Creating Shared Interests
How a Laker fan of 20 years fell in love with the Boston Celtics
When it comes to dinner conversation, picking a movie, or deciding what to do on a Saturday night, shared interests are foundational to any relationship.
With this idea in mind, I wanted to share some background on my basketball fandom in an effort to highlight one of my (self-proclaimed) smartest decisions of all time.
Growing up, I wasn’t a hugely loyal fan of any one basketball team. My household admired Coach K (Duke) and when I was really starting to ball for the first time in the early 2000s, Kobe was at his peak greatness. I loved Kobe and still do. Thus, that made me a Laker fan. And to add a few more sprinkles of credibility to that choice, I eventually moved to Los Angeles after graduation for two years. That sealed it - I’d stay a Laker fan, or so I thought at the time.
Many years later, as I was getting to know my wife’s family, it was clear early on that this household was a HUGE Celtics household. And if you weren’t aware, the Celtics and Lakers have some history…
In that first year, I had a decision to make - stick to my guns like a good, loyal fan, or become a turncoat Celtics fan. An unthinkable transition. The decision was big, and would define my dinner conversations and interactions for many decades to come.
If I were on trial with a jury of the hardcore NBA fans, I would be obliterated for picking the latter a decision. However, this decision goes beyond basketball.
I made the decision to be a Celtics fan to strengthen the bond with my wife and my wife’s family. Since then, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. My enjoyment has only compounded and my fanhood has grown dramatically. Having a shared team that we all root for, talk about, and attend games - brings us closer together.
And so in some ways, I created my Celtics fandom out of thin air, or rather out of love; and to this day, it’s been one of my best decisions.
Do any of your friends or family members have a favorite team that they LOVE? Jump on that bandwagon (especially if you don’t have an existing team). Do they have an interest they are passionate about? Jump in there and share that interest with them. I promise you that decision will compound in value.
You don’t have to love the interest, you just have to love them.