An NBA star once helped a nervous 13-yr-old sing the anthem. 22 years later, he watched her sing proudly

The most compelling moments in sports often revolve around themes of redemption, transcending beyond just the athletes themselves. A recent incident at the Portland Trail Blazers' home arena highlighted that these poignant instances can include unexpected figures. In this instance, it was singer Natalie Gilbert who returned more than two decades after her initial performance, gracing the same stage where she once learned invaluable lessons of resilience and solidarity. About 22 years ago, NBA legend and Trail Blazers head coach Maurice Cheeks encouraged the then 13-year-old Natalie to overcome her nerves and mistakes to finish singing the National Anthem. More than two decades later, she returned to the same arena to sing the National Anthem with Cheeks, who is now an assistant coach with the New York Knicks, watching on with pride. The NBA's official account (@NBA) posted this heartfelt moment on X.

When Gilbert first sang the National Anthem in the Blazers' home arena 22 years ago, nothing went according to plan. The then-13-year-old mixed up "Twilight's last gleaming" with "Stars last gleaming." The then-head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers wasted no time; he told her, "It's all right," and helped her get through the song.

"That moment where I was standing there looking around felt like forever," Gilbert remembered while speaking to The Athletic. "But then… he was just there. Like, the second I turned over my shoulder, he was right there, and he was like, 'No, we’re not gonna do this … you’re gonna finish this song.'"

Maurice Cheeks joined her on stage and sang along with her. The crowd also participated with the duo, and together they created a heartwarming rendition of "Home of the Brave." Cheeks closed out the rendition with a hug for Gilbert. According to Yahoo Sports, the former Philadelphia 76ers guard and Gilbert later appeared on shows like "The Tonight Show" to discuss the experience.

The moment became embedded in the minds of sports fans worldwide. Cheeks guided Gilbert through the lyrics, monitored the audience, and touched everyone's hearts. "That’s a hard time in a young child’s life, where something like that happens on national television," Gilbert told The Athletic. "That moment really stuck with me." The support meant a lot to the young Gilbert. "When I felt like I was very helpless and hopeless, the coach walked right over, no hesitation, and helped me finish the song," Gilbert said during the Blazers' broadcast.

The whole incident taught her many important lessons and even helped her persevere through several personal challenges. “It made me a much stronger individual,” Gilbert said. “I can face adversity or anything that’s coming at me. I just push through now, because that’s probably the worst thing that can happen to you when you are 13 and in middle school.”

Gilbert met Cheeks before the game between the New York Knicks and the Portland Trailblazers on March 13, 2025, and she was elated. "This moment changed my life. And I wouldn't have had it any other way. I would not go back in time and change it at all," Gilbert told ESPN. "Seeing him and seeing that he's still the standup guy today that he was back then, it's amazing." 

The NBA's official post on X garnered nearly 770,000 views and people online had some nice things to say about the moment. According to Richard Otterman, who goes by @Uncle_Fooby, "Maurice Cheeks didn’t help this young girl with the anthem because he was the coach. He was the coach, in part, because he loves and wants to help people—and it showed up in a big way in this beautiful moment in 2003. God Bless You, Coach." Another person, who goes by @jimmyyweb3, remarked, "Heartwarming reunion, [the] true mark of a leader."

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