Dyomin Reflects on the Thrilling 2016 NBA Finals Experience

A 19-year-old Russian defender for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, **[Egor Dyomin](https://www.championat.com/basketball/news-6074078-egor-dyomin-nazval-svoego-lyubimogo-artista-serial-i-uvlecheniya-vspomniv-o-rossii.html)** shared his thoughts on his favorite finals in the league.

**»I read that the first NBA finals you watched were in 2016 between the Cavaliers and the Warriors. What memories do you have from that experience?»**
**»I have quite an amusing memory associated with that time. It was June, and I was training with my team in Russia. Back then, we weren’t allowed to use our phones in the evenings—our coaches would take them away so we could rest and avoid social media. However, some of the guys secretly brought a second phone to watch the finals. Of course, we never considered asking our coaches for permission to stay up at night for basketball; we were too young and shy for that. Because of the time difference, we had to watch the games at night, and the entire team would hide in the bathroom, watching on a small screen and trying to keep quiet. If anyone heard footsteps, we would scatter back to our beds, making it look like we were all asleep.»**

**»What a unique first experience of the finals! That year was packed with events: the Warriors’ 73-9 season, the Cavaliers’ comeback from 1-3, LeBron’s performances, and Kyrie’s shot in Game 7. What stood out to you the most?»**
**»It’s a pity that I didn’t know as much about basketball back then as I do now. At the time, it was all about the rivalry between LeBron and Curry. It was interesting, but not as profound as it is for me now. I would love to rewatch that series to see it through the eyes of a current player and truly appreciate every detail,»** Dyomin said in an interview with Sportskeeda.