A Massachusetts boy's love for the Valley

A Unique Journey to Becoming a Phoenix Suns Fan

The offseason is a time for reflection, renewal, and remembrance. It’s a period when fans take a step back to think about how they got here and why they continue to support their favorite teams. This summer, we’ll explore these questions and more. One story that stands out is how Bruce Veliz, who lives in Massachusetts, became a fan of the Phoenix Suns.

Growing up in Massachusetts, it's rare to find someone like Bruce—someone who supports two teams: the one they've followed their whole life and another that connected them to the sport they love. In Massachusetts, the home team is usually the only one that matters, and this is evident in how fans treat their own team and others across the league.

When Bruce arrived at the Valley media space, many people were probably confused about who he was. How did he become a fan? How could he support a team if he had never been to the state, especially not for a game? Even though he may have seemed like an outsider, his loyalty to the Suns has always been strong, dating back to his first time watching the sport.

The Beginning of a Basketball Love Story

Before diving into this story, it's important to understand the background. As a child, basketball wasn't introduced to Bruce. He came from a family where soccer was the main sport on one side, and that influence shaped his early years. Alongside soccer, he also watched football, baseball, and hockey with his dad. Basketball wasn’t part of his world—at least, not until 2007.

That year, Bruce's family moved, and he started first grade. Because both of his parents worked early, he had to go to his neighbor's house every morning before school. From 6 am to 8:45 am, he would watch whatever he wanted. Since he was the first to arrive and the oldest, he controlled the TV. SportsCenter became a daily routine for him.

This habit allowed Bruce to catch up on the sports he loved and discover new ones. That one sport was basketball, and a player who showed him he could do the same. At the time, ESPN showed full game highlights every night, and that's where Bruce first saw the Phoenix Suns and, more importantly, Steve Nash.

Nash, an undersized guard who set up his offense and scored from all three levels, captured Bruce's attention. Seeing someone who looked like him and excelled in the league gave Bruce a sense of connection. Every day, he would rush to turn on ESPN to check if the Suns had won or lost. Since he couldn't watch games at home, this was the only way a seven-year-old could consume basketball content. He would check the ticker at the bottom of the screen to see the score, sometimes catching it before the game breakdown.

Bruce instantly fell in love with the Suns and the sport of basketball. He started playing NBA2K every time he went to his cousin’s house, using the Suns exclusively. The following year, he began playing at his local YMCA to learn the basics of the game, dreaming of becoming the next Steve Nash. While that dream didn’t come true, it fueled his passion for the sport.

A Growing Passion and a New Identity

The following season, Bruce attended his first Celtics game, which only deepened his love for basketball. He started collecting basketball cards, acquiring sticker books as he grew older, and even read books about top players at book fairs. This continued to fuel his love for the team and the sport as he matured.

At fifteen, Bruce got his first Suns jersey, a Nash one. However, when Steve Nash was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, Bruce was heartbroken. Not only was Nash leaving, but he was going to the team Bruce despised most, as the Celtics have a rivalry with the Lakers.

Despite this, Bruce remained a loyal Suns fan, believing that good times would eventually come to the franchise. Fast forward almost 15 years, and while the Suns still don’t have a championship, Bruce is now able to share his thoughts on something he once idolized. This is a win for him, and if he had asked his seven-year-old self if this would be his life, he might have said yes—but not writing about basketball.

Something he knows his younger self would be proud of. To think that a little kid’s dream has turned into so much of an opportunity, and he’s as small as he is now, makes him want to push harder and give his best work in covering the team. They showed him what good basketball is, and he can only repay the favor with excellent coverage in return.

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