Who am I?
My name is John Forcellese and I am from Massachusetts. I was born in 1975 and can remember watching and playing sports since the age of 5. There was nothing like growing up 5 minutes away from Boston Garden and the Celtics. I went to my first game when I was 8 against the Indiana Pacers, how ironic that this would be the current team of my idol "Mark Jackson"
Where I first saw #13!
I first saw #13 play when I was 12 years old. It was his rookie year on the Knicks and they were in town to play the Celtics. I loved the way this guy ran the court, especially the way he passed the ball. From that day on, I modeled my own style of play after him. For the next few years all I cared about was making the play for someone else to score, and also trying to make it look good. I played pick-up games every day in gym and after school, working on my dribbling and passing. There was nothing I loved more in life than to play ball.
How I still play on!
When I was 15, I was diagnosed with bone cancer in my right arm. I went through 22 rounds of chemotherapy and also a surgery to remove the mass. Upon removing the mass, doctors also removed 8 inches of bone and my deltoid muscle; my basketball days were over. By no means was I NBA material, but it was my passion. At first it bothered me to watch a game, go to a game, or even talk about basketball. But I realized it's not the end of the world, considering I'm still alive. From that point on I enjoyed the sport even more, especially watching #13. I couldn't play anymore, but watching Mark Jackson made that disappear; when I watch him I feel like I'm on the floor. It sounds funny but it's true, I still have my love for the game because of him. I don't get to see many of his games because he is in Indiana, but I do catch every national broadcast of the Pacers, and I do get to see highlights every night. I also go to the games when they play the Celtics. Yes the Celtics are my favorite team, but that doesn't change who my favorite player is.
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