Who doesn’t love a good dose of nostalgia? There’s something special about reliving a moment from the past—one that left a lasting impact and now returns to bring a fresh wave of joy. Marvel has mastered the art of nostalgia in its recent projects, and even the NBA, whether intentionally or not, seems to be following suit. Just ask Maurice Cheeks.
During the Portland Trail Blazers’ recent home game against the New York Knicks at the Moda Center, fans witnessed a touching full-circle moment. Cheeks, now a Knicks assistant coach, once led the Blazers as their head coach from 2001 to 2004. And whether by chance or careful planning, the night’s National Anthem was performed by none other than Natalie Gilbert.
For those who remember, Gilbert was the young girl who, over two decades ago, nervously stumbled while singing the anthem—only for Coach Cheeks himself to step in and help her finish the song in an unforgettable moment of kindness.
This time, as Gilbert sang, Cheeks watched from a distance, smiling as she reached the final words. When the performance ended, the cameras stayed on him—clapping, fist-bumping his players, and radiating the same warmth and encouragement that made him beloved all those years ago.
A moment of nostalgia done right.
What made this moment so special? Well, longtime NBA fans might remember how, back in April 2003, a then 13-year-old Natalie Gilbert was first called upon to sing the National Anthem before an NBA game. The nerves got to Gilbert at that time.
She stumbled on her words and mixed up “twilight’s last gleaming,” with “stars last gleaming.” Then, a moment was created when then-Blazers HC Maurice Cheeks stepped up. He stood besides Gilbert and encouraged her by saying, “c’mon” and singing “stars last gleaming” with Gilbert. The crowd soon joined in, too. Cheeks and the teenager sang the “home of the brave” part of the anthem together to conclude it and received a huge round of applause from the attendees. The then-head coach also hugged the young girl to close out the memorable performance.
In 2003, then-Trail Blazers HC Maurice Cheeks stepped in to help 13-year-old National Anthem singer Natalie Gilbert.
Tonight, Gilbert returned to Portland sing the anthem once again, with Cheeks watching as a Knicks assistant https://t.co/mXhxQAJmXf pic.twitter.com/rw12oLSJHE
— NBA (@NBA) March 13, 2025
Twenty-two years later, Natalie Gilbert didn’t need Maurice Cheeks to step in—this time, she delivered a flawless performance, hitting every note with confidence and grace. And if there was anyone who would have been the proudest of her, it had to be Cheeks himself.
What made this nostalgic moment even more special? The overwhelming support from the NBA community.
NBA Fans celebrate Maurice Cheeks experiencing a nostalgic moment: “Heart melting”
One social media user simply wrote, “Heart melting”. After all, why describe how you felt about the reunion in many words when two are enough? The cherry on top of that special cake was when Cheeks came out and hugged Gilbert. A gap of 22 years between the two moments. Yet, it felt that all the feelings of kindness were right there.
Heart melting
— KhiNG.Sol | (Ø,G) (@0xKhiNG_) March 13, 2025
One Netizen wrote, “Full-circle moments like this are priceless! (emojis) What a beautiful reunion! #Respect #NBA”. In a league that has existed for more than half a century, full-circle moments have become the norm.
Golden State Warriors fans might remember how, after a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, LA rookie Quincy Olivari shared an appreciation post on Instagram. He highlighted a recent photo he took with his idol, Stephen Curry, along with revealing that he received a pair of autographed shoes from Curry himself!
The post also featured a throwback image of Olivari sporting Steph’s iconic #30 Warriors jersey. Olivari highlighted that he once got a Curry jersey signed by the athlete himself when he was still very young. Olivari had his full-circle moment and could only say “Dreams do come true” to highlight his feeling.
One social media user wrote, “Maurice Cheeks reuniting with the girl that he helped sing the national anthem out in Portland was mad cool”.
Over the years, Maurice Cheeks often spoke about that old moment. During an interview with ‘The Sporting News’ in 2018, he recalled “Once I really saw what I did, I couldn’t believe I did it, first of all. I had to — I heard the national anthem so many times, so I had to know the words. I didn’t know I was going to have to sing it, but I knew the words and I had to know I could go out there and help her”.
Just from looking, the head coach knew the young girl was struggling. As Cheeks added, his fatherly instincts kicked in. When they did, the last thing he wanted was for Gilbert “to be standing in the middle of all those people and not know the words. So I just kind of reacted. I don’t even know why.”
Several people left teary-eyed emojis as remarks in the comment section. Others continued expressing their feelings with words. One individual wrote, “Heartwarming reunion, true mark of a leader.” Even back in 2003, Maurice Cheeks had over a decade’s worth of experience in NBA coaching. Therefore, he certainly possessed some leadership experience that encouraged him to act like he did.
For some fans, Maurice Cheeks’ presence on the sidelines sparked a whole different level of nostalgia. One social media user shared their personal connection, writing:
“That’s my point guard. As a Philly kid, I grew up an @sixers fan. Got to see him make the final bucket when we beat @Lakers in the Finals. When I moved here & discovered Cheeks was the coach, I was thrilled. Sad for him he didn’t stay a head coach. Hope he’s doing well (two hearts emoji).”
Maurice Cheeks had been drafted into the NBA as the 36th pick by the Philadelphia 76ers back in 1978. During his 11 years with the 76ers, Maurice found success as a player. He even won the championship back in 1983. Over the next 4 years, Cheeks played for 4 other teams. Therefore, his time with the Philadelphia 76ers would be the most remembered by veteran NBA fans.
Overall, the majority of reactions were wholly positive in celebrating the reunion between the then hesitant girl and the NBA coach. May such nostalgic moments continue coming and spread some absolute joy amongst people.
The post America Can’t Stop Crying As HC Maurice Cheeks Relives The Day He Saved 13-Year-Old From Public Embarrassment appeared first on EssentiallySports.