Cleveland Cavaliers forward Nae’Quan Tomlin will enjoy home comforts on opening night when they face the New York Knicks, but admits something quite rare for most New Yorkers.

While he will relish hitting the hollowed hardwood of Madison Square Garden, he knows he will also have a cheering section of friends and family who will be sure to head over to watch their hero play, especially given that he might see extra minutes due to injuries among the team.

However, growing up, when basketball was his passion in life, Tomlin never wore the infamous Knicks white, blue and orange; the 24-year-old preferred the wine and gold. Being honest, it adds a touch more class, anyway.

“I wasn’t a Knicks fan growing up. Didn’t do any of that Madison Square Garden stuff,” Tomlin told Cavs.com. “I was actually a Cleveland fan back then, for real. It’s crazy. Things really worked out well.”

Growing up on 134th, between Lenox Ave. and 7th Ave., Tomlin was always engrossed by basketball. It was all he ever played as a kid, and Harlem Park was nearby.

“I loved it back then,” he reflects. 

“You wake up in the morning, you go outside, and you don’t come back until late at night. Your mom asks what you were out doing all day, and I’d just say: ‘I was at the park, just hoopin’.’

“I grew up playing ball at Harlem Park on 135th. St. Nicolas Park was probably the park I went to the most. The Black Park, in St. Nicolas projects. It’s called that because it’s got black gates. You had Tri-State on 145th and Lennox. And you have the iconic Rucker Park, of course.” 

Even though Harlem Park was Tomlin’s mecca, it was the basketball mecca that is Rucker Park that became his focus when his passion was noticed when he was introduced to Steve Barnett, the Commissioner of Rucker Park.

“He’s like my uncle,” Tomlin admits. “And he really helped me along in my journey. I was working out with him every morning in Rucker Park. And from there, I went to a prep school in San Antonio, Texas. 

“Then I went to Monroe College in Rochester, NY, for a year, then Chipola College, then Kansas State, Memphis, then here.”

It was a hard journey for Tomlin, who wasn’t featured in scouting reports from a young age or a star in the AAU circuit. 

Even after beginning his career at the JUCO level and putting in strong individual seasons at Kansas State and Memphis, he miraculously still went undrafted in 2024.

 Tomlin inked with Cleveland’s Summer League squad and then went to the Charge, appearing in 37 contests, averaging 15.6 points, 6.8 boards and 1.4 blocks a game.

Following an explosion of 37 points, 11 points, and four blocks against the Westchester Knicks, he signed a 10-day deal with the Cavs and appeared in five games.

Tomlin was even more impressive in this year’s Summer League, leading the Cavs in scoring at 20.3 points and rebounding at 8.5 boards a game, including a 30-point showing against the Pacers and a 22-point, 13-rebound performance against the Bucks.

Now, he is featured on a roster eager for another run to the coveted NBA title, and Tomlin will be desperate to prove his worth with a cheering section promised for him at the world’s most famous arena.