How do I view my love of the game? Well, I will start by saying that I didn't always love this game. Growing up in a mid-sized town in Oklahoma, there wasn't much of a reason to love the game of Basketball. This is a football state! But growing up, I always felt that urge to go outside and shoot baskets. To go outside and practice dribbling. See, Basketball is a sport where you can go out and work, even if you don't have someone else to work with. As a 5'10" White guy, obviously I was compared to Steve Nash my whole life. I was Steve Nash, before I knew who Steve Nash was. So I finally started watching, and coincidentally falling in love with the Mike D'Antoni and Steve Nash's run and gun Suns. Man they were fun to watch! I started imitating Steve Nash, although admittingly, I was never anywhere near as good of a passer as he was. But I could never really feel right, calling the Suns "my team". Finally, in 2008, the talks of getting our own Professional team were completed. By this time, I was a huge basketball fan. And yeah, we had the Hornet during Katrina, but we all knew they would go back home after the damage had been repaired. But, in 2008, we finally had our own. The Oklahoma City Thunder. For the small, unknown state in the middle of the United States to be plastered on ESPN and other national news outlets was a different feeling. That first year was a struggle, losing most of the time but at the same time, keeping things close and interesting. You could see signs of brilliance from the Thunder team already. The following year, improving our win total dramatically, and making the playoffs felt unreal. Again, seeing the small, unheard of, Oklahoma City Thunder playing the Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles Lakers was an intense and feeling none the less. Every year, since then we raised our game, losing in the finals to who is and was at that time, the best player on the planet. But to Oklahoma, Kevin Durant is the best. He is Oklahoma. In the years to follow the finals appearance, we have had the loss of James Harden, a superstar in his own, and we have lost seasons with injury, whether it be Russ, Serge, or KD. This coming year is a make or break season. Possibly the last season of Kevin Durant being in Oklahoma has arrived, and its an unsettling feeling. To have one of the greatest athletes, and one of the better players of all time suite up in your small home state is nothing short of amazing. To sum this all up, I have always had a love for the game of basketball, but the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Russell and co., have given not only me, but an entire state, a phenomenal basketball team, and all the more reason to love this game.