Picking Your NBA Team: Tips for New or Casual Fans

Don’t be that person in public wearing a Morant jersey to go with your Golden State Warriors hat.


We are all just human beings who were designed to eat, sleep, run, socialise etc. What they failed to mention to me when I was a toddler was that my Dad wouldn’t ever say something like; “i’m sorry that I put you through this mate”. This article can help you to decide on how to pick an NBA team to support!

I am sick to death of striking up a conversation with someone in public who loves the NBA (according to them) then they say “oh, I just like basketball. Literally about 90% of random people that i’ve met “in the wild” don’t seem to have a team. This brings us to the end of casuals and the rise of fans who have an actual team to support, so let’s teach you how to pick your NBA team.


…or you could save a lot of time and just take this quiz to find out your true favourite colour HERE. Then pick a team who wears those colours.





So what, you follow a player/s? I can somewhat understand LeBron because of multiple reasons. However, they move around so frequently that it’s too hard to keep uop with. So, lets go about finding you a team that suits you. Really have a think about it and get back to us. Mike has a lot of jerseys he doesn’t wear, so DM us with a weird story. He will be hoping it’s not signed or framed.



Choosing an NBA team to support isn’t as simple as checking the standings or picking the team with the flashiest superstar. For many fans, especially those without a hometown franchise, it’s something deeper. It’s the process of picking an NBA team that resonates with you on a personal level. It’s about identity, emotion, and a sense of belonging that grows over time. The team you follow becomes part of your life. Wins feel personal, and losses stay with you. The journey is what makes the connection real.





As sports mad Australian’s, we forget just how into several sports most of us are. If you go overseas, generally speaking most people will follow one or maybe two professional teams/leagues. 99% of us were not born in either of the two countries that the NBA is held in, so this question is a great discussion. Especially on the back of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers facing off in the 2025 Finals this year. Ask most Thunder fans how they came to barrack for them. The story is always involving coincidence, luck…or as I like to see it; fate.



Sometimes a team grabs you because of a single player. Maybe you watched someone dominate on the court and felt drawn to their style, their swagger, or their story. Other times, it’s a team’s culture that pulls you in—the way they play together, the way they carry themselves, the way they never seem to give up. You start noticing how they move the ball and how they celebrate each other’s success. Then suddenly, you’re invested in picking an NBA team.



For others, it’s the underdogs that catch the heart. A small-market team that grinds out wins without the spotlight. A squad rebuilding from the bottom with young talent and a chip on their shoulder. There’s something powerful about watching a team evolve, and sticking with them through tough seasons. It involves monitoring the progress of picking an NBA team that fits your style and persona. Then when that kind of team finally breaks through, it means more because you were there from the start.




Geography can play a part, but it doesn’t have to. Some fans follow the team closest to their city, while others find themselves connected to a franchise halfway across the country. Maybe it’s a team a family member loved, or the one you always played as in NBA 2K. Sometimes picking an NBA team is deliberate, but often it’s accidental. One game leads to two, and two games turn into checking scores every morning. Before you know it, they’re your team.



What matters most is not why you choose a team—but that, at some point, they feel like yours. The moments start to matter. The players feel familiar. You learn their struggles, celebrate their growth, and develop a strange emotional attachment to the rhythm of their season. You defend them in arguments. You ride their highs and lows like they’re your own.


Finding your NBA team is a lot like falling into a rhythm. There’s no formula for picking an NBA team. No rulebook exists. Just a feeling builds, a story that draws you in, and a loyalty that becomes part of who you are. You don’t always know when it happens—but once it does, it sticks. SO, after that rundown and some insights, give us your best stories. Especially those of you or someone you know who had a crazy or different experience. Particularly when it comes to picking their NBA team!

Or, you could just totally disregard what I wrote above. Check on Ladbrokes who the favourite is for Season 2025/26. Bandwagon it up like a Golden State Warriors fan around 2015.


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