Jaxon's First Laker Game

Jaxon’s First Lakers Game

November 17, 2013 – In a story that I’m sure sounds like something from a Hollywood script I took my son Jaxon (8) to his first NBA game, Lakers v. the Pistons. A dear friend of ours (a 30 year season ticket holder) was unable to attend the game and asked if we wanted to go. He has great seats in section 105 near the tunnel and visitors bench.

Jaxon H. sitting section 105

It was a total surprise, I didn’t tell him that we were going to the game until we were walking up to the Staples Center. Jaxon’s eyes were wide as saucers during the high energy team introductions – the kid was so excited he was speechless. He just had a glazed grin on his face. Father – son outing is going well!! I’m doing my best to point out any celebrities in attendance as well as highlight the players for him to watch on both teams. As I’m pointing things out to Jaxon he is enjoying a pretzel and soda. The game opens with a thunderous dunk by the team from the Motor City!

Halfway through the first quarter a gentleman in suit comes over to the railing to speak to me. He says hello and asks if me it’s just the two of us – “father son at the game?” I say “yes” and introduce my son and explain that this is his first Laker game. The gentleman says why don’t you guys take these two tickets and go sit courtside.

 



Courtside Tickets - compliments of Laker Exec. Tim Harris

It turns out the aforementioned gentleman is none other than the Lakers vice president of business operations and chief marketing officer, Tim Harris. He’s pointing to the baseline, the seats are under the basket right next to fashion icon and fixture at NBA games, James “Jimmy” Goldstein. For those of you who don’t know who Jimmy is he is an NBA superfan…he attends over 100 games each year and he is always sporting flamboyant outfits. If you are an NBA fan…you have seen him before!

We make our way down to the floor and sit in the seats that were held for many years by Penny Marshall aka Laverne from Laverne & Shirley. As luck would have it, Penny Marshall was at the game too…but she was sitting directly behind us!



Jim Goldstein and Jaxon

It’s a good first half and the Lakers are down by 6 at halftime. My son turns to me and says “Dad how much time is left?” I tell him 2 quarters…with a huge grin he says to me "the time is going by so fast." And then another gentleman comes up to us. Laker staffer Luis Barnfield, he says “I know it’s a school night…but if you don’t mind waiting for a few minutes after the game your son can meet some of the players. What do you think?” I think meeting some of the Lakers is a great reason to be go to bed late on a school night! He then asked my son who his favorite player was and then said “would you like to meet him?”

On our left were members of the Gores family. The Detroit Pistons were bought by private equity firm Platinum Equity which is owned by Tom Gores. His brother Alec Gores and his wife Rochelle also private equity billionaires, are sitting next to us. They were there enjoying the game, rooting for the Pistons, and watching their nephew serve as a Pistons ball boy. The Gores were very nice and engaging with both Jaxon and I.

The Lakers tied the game late in the 3^rd quarter and you could feel the energy ramp up as Nick Young got hot dropping back-to-back 3’s. The Pistons were ice cold from the field and the Lakers were on fire…between Nick Young and Jodie Meeks dropping shots from distance and Jordan Hill’s beast mode game it looked as if the Lakers would cruise to victory.

Before the game started I had warned my son about the Pistons’ Brandon Jennings and his ability to score in bunches. Once the Lakers got up 14 – Jennings, who up until then was mostly making his impact felt in the assist column with 12. As if on cue, to make the old man look good…Jennings went on a tear hitting 3’s on four consecutive possessions. However, the home team did us proud and responded to every one virtually eliminating any opportunity for the Pistons to make a comeback.  

Sunday’s game also featured the 2 Taco promotion – if the Lakers were to hold the Pistons under 100 points each fan would receive a coupon for 2 tacos from Jack-In-the-Box. With :28 seconds left the home team up 114 – 99 the chants from the crowd started…”we want tacos, we want tacos, we want tacos”. The Pistons made substitutions for its starters and with 11 seconds left Detroit’s Josh Harrellson hoisted a 3 in an attempt to silence the taco chant. It was an air ball rebounded by the home team – who ran out the clock.

A couple minutes after the final horn Luis Barnfield appeared again – follow me guys. He then led us to the tunnel in front of the Lakers locker room. A few minutes later, a player in black shorts, tennis shoes, and a hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head came into the hall. Taking off his hood to reveal none other than the Mamba himself. Kobe Bryant, #24 in the flesh. The look on Jaxon’s face was priceless! Heck the look on my face was priceless. The head of security Robert Lara who had introduced himself earlier with a engaging discussion with Jaxon and I – personally introduced Jaxon to Kobe as a guest of Tim Harris.  

Kobe was so cool and gracious asking him about his age, school and grades. He shook his hand, signed an autograph for him and took this photo with him. Then one after one the players emerged from the locker room – each one kind and gracious, signing autographs and taking pictures with a half dozen or so fans. Steve Blake, Jordan Hill, Wesley Johnson, Nick Young, Robert Sacre, Ryan Kelly, Jodie Meeks, and Pao Gasol.

Steve Blake, Jaxon, Jordan Hill                                                Jaxon, Wesley Johnson

                                                                       Jaxon, Jodie Meeks

 We also met Lakers community affairs representative Nailah Waterfield, who was incredible coordinating each one of the player introductions and photos.

I want to thank Tim Harris and the Laker organization for its incredible generosity – and graciousness.

What an amazing gift to give to a father and son attending a game.

Now it’s 9:45pm and we have made our way back to our car in the Hope parking lot. As we are driving toward the freeway reliving the events of the last couple of hours, my son says "hey dad we forgot to get our Taco coupons." We both laughed and laughed...