Massachusetts, Watch This Player! Junior Named Massachusetts Top High School Basketball Player

Before a basketball player becomes an NBA superstar, they put in a lot of work. From humble beginnings in the driveway shooting hoops on a rusting basket with a slowly deteriorating net, to pick up ball wherever you can find competitive games, to becoming the hometown star of the high school team, getting recruited, (most of the time) playing strongly for a reputable college squad, before being drafted and called up to the NBA. Let's roll it back a few steps to high school.

Every year at the beginning of the basketball season Stadium Talk goes through all fifty states and names one player from each state as the top basketball player to watch. They say they choose these players by answering one question in each state: What one player from every state do you want to start a team with? Well the 2023/2024 list is out and congratulations goes out to junior Tahlan Pettway from Worcester North High School in Worcester.

Tahlan is a point guard who in his Sophomore year last season led the Polar Bears to a 24-2 record and the school's first Division 1 State Championship. Tahlan averaged 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists per game last season and looks to increase those numbers this season. He was also named Massachusetts MaxPreps Player of the Year after Worcester North finished the season on a 21 game winning streak.

While there are many, many , many great basketball players in Massachusetts (we're the home of the Basketball Hall of Fame for crying out loud!), Tahlan Pettway has been singled out as the one to watch this season. Congratulations Tahlan! And good luck to all the great high school players out there this season. Maybe you're next!

While we're talking Massachusetts basketball, if you want to go see the Celtics you should probably start saving now! A new report RIGHT HERE says Celtics beers cost the most in the NBA and below you'll see that ticket prices are similar versus other teams in the league...

When last we saw our beloved Boston Celtics in action, they had made it all the way to the NBA finals. That was last Spring, and the Celtics eventually lost to Golden State. But hey, no one really expected the Cs to go that far. Fun fact: The Celtics have been in the playoffs a total of 58 times in their 72 seasons. Those are pretty impressive numbers. One of the reason the Green bring in plenty of green and a full house year after year. Oh, and then there are those 17 NBA Championships.

The start of the 2022-2023 season is here. Hoops fans all over the country will be packing into arenas to cheer on their favorite teams and players. Be prepared to open your wallet for the season opener and beyond, because just like everything else, a ticket is going to cost you more. How much more?

Bookies.com has done the math for us. They've crunched the number and come up with the cost of attending NBA games at each arena this season. The final tally? A family of 4 can expect to spend, on average, $288.38 for 4 tickets, parking in a lot, a couple of beeahs, 2 sodas and 4 hot dogs.  Here's a thought, maybe it's cheaper to leave the kids at home with a babysitter, and take a train to the game, if that's an option.

Winning is big business, and the Warriors have been winning for quite some time.

TOTAL COST for Family of 4= $690

4 of the cheapest tickets: $570, Parking $37.43, 2 beers: $34.56, 2 sodas:$14.40, 4 hot dogs: $34

It's New York. People show up, even if it is the Knicks. (They were 37-45 last year)

TOTAL COST for Family of 4: $669.52

2 of the cheapest tickets: $547.52, Parking:$42.28, 2 beers: $27.52, 2 sodas: $15.20, 4 hot dogs: $36

The house that Magic and Kobe built is still a popular destination, despite finishing 11th in their conference and holding a 33-49 record last season.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $519.03

There parking is relatively inexpensive, priced at just $20. The cheapest tickets total $436 for a family.

Last year the Raptors held a 48-34 record and finished 5th in the Eastern Conference.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $487.62

Here we go Celtics, here we go! As you might expect, if you've ever parked around the Garden, our parking price was the 2nd highest for all 30 teams. Only falling behind the Brooklyn Nets. But we are the Celtics and there are 17 banners hanging in the rafters. We had Russell, and Bird and Garnett, and Pierce and now Tatum and Brown. You pay for the names and the championships.

Here are our numbers, Boston. (Take a deep breath)

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $472

4 of the cheapest tickets: $341.24, parking: $54 (yup, there it is), 2 beers: $34.56, 2 sodas: 15.20, 4 dogs: $27

Let's hope you get that raise. And let's hope the team raises another up to the rafters.

Names like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Seth Curry are big draws to Barclays Center. And the fact that you may see Jay-Z there, possibly Beyonce, couldn't hurt. He is a part owner. Ok, it's only about 1% ownership.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $419.50

Parking here is the most expensive. Have you ever tried to park in Brooklyn. It'll run you about $57.50 to park. 4 of the cheapest tickets: $290.68, 2 beers: $25.92, 2 sodas: $16.40, 4 dogs: $29

The United Center has the largest capacity in the NBA. And of course, it home to his airness, said to be the best to ever play the game, Michael Jordan.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $392.02

Cheapest tickets for 4: $308, parking: $25.50, 2 beers: $19.52, 2 Sodas: $12, 4 Hot dogs: $26

The Wells Fargo Center is home to the 76ers and said to be one of the busiest arenas in the world. 76ers finished last year at 51-31 and ranked 4th in the East.

TOTAL for a family of 4: $378.48

Not the unbearable cold can keep fans away from the Target Center in the heart of Minneapolis. They show up for their Wolves.

TOTAL for Family of 4: $335.55

Parking is only $11.67! And 4 of the cheapest tickets will run you around $266

Rouning out the top 10 most expensive nights for a family to see an NBA game, is the recently named Footprint Center in Phoenix. The Suns finished first in their conference, made it to the semi-finals and lost to the Dallas Mavericks.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $315.62

Parking here ranked 3rd lowest of all the teams at only $10.42

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $278.96

Cheapest tickets for 4:$205, Parking: $15, 2 beers: $20.16, 2 sodas: $10.80: 4 dogs: $28

To see the 3 time champions in Miami at FTX Arena will run you under $300. Miami finished first in the Eastern Conference, just ahead of the Celtics. But, they lost in the finals to the Celtics.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $278.03

The NBA Bucks actually share an arena with the Marquette University Men's Basketball team. Here's what you will pay to see a game with your family at Fiserv Forum.

TOTAL for Family of 4: $266.39. Parking is only around $11.75, but hot dogs are steep at $30 for 4!

The 44-38 Cavs finished 8th in the Eastern Conference last year

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $227.42

Beer is cheap in Cleveland apparently. 2 16 oz beers average $10.56 the lowest in the NBA!. When was the last time you had a $5 beer.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $226.96

Mark Cuban's team will  kick off the 2022-23 season Wednesday night against thePhoenix Suns, in a rematch of the Western Conference smifinals from last year.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $224.92

Justin Timberlake is a minority owner of his hometown team. They finished 2nd in the West last year, with a 56-26 record. The Grizzlies lost in the Western Conference semifinals to Golden State. FedEx Forum is home to the Grizzlies.

Crypto.Com Arena in downtown LA is home to the Clippers, but they plan to move to Inglewood in 2024 to the new venue, the privately funded Intuit Dome.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $212.35

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $190.58.

This team has one of the lowest prices for sodas at State Farm Arena. For 2 20 oz sodas, the cost is $7.60. That's the 2nd lowest in the NBA. Could it be because Atlanta is the home of Coca Cola headquarters?

TOTAL for a Family of 4:$190.56

The cheap seats aren't a bad price (relatively speaking) at just $103.04 for 2 tickets. But the parking will set you back $$27.60 and 2 beers -$21.12. Two Sodas are only $8.80, but 4 hot dogs will take a little bite out of your wallet at $30!

Oklahoma is OK when it comes to beer prices. 2 16 oz beers will only set you back $12.16, but for 2 of the cheapest tickets to see the Thunder at Paycom Center will run you $125.52

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $190.38

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $185.48

You would think that a state that is home to Golden (the beer making capital) would cut you a deal. But no, 2 beers cost nearly $30 ($29.44 to be exact) at Ball Arena.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $178.76

The Pistons play at Little Ceasar's Arena in the heart of the Motor City. They finished 14th in the Eastern Conference, going 23-59 on the season last year.

Fill up on hot dogs if you ever go see the Spurs at AT&T Center. They have the best price on dogs in the NBA. 4 hot dogs cost only $11! Ticket prices are cheap, in comparison to parking and concessions, averaging $124.44 for the cheap seats and a family of 4.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $175.64

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $174.48

"Rip City" play at the Moda Center, formerly the Rose Garden. Parking is relatively expensive here, in comparison to ticket prices. Parking averages: $29.00. 4 cheap tickets will set you back only $84!

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $170.76

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $166.36

Take a few cars to the game at Smoothie King Center because they have the least expensive parking to see a Pelicans game at $8.92. Of course it's the Pelicans, so...

TOTAL for a Family of 4: 1$64.39

The Spetrum Center in Uptown Charlotte hosts the Hornets. Fill up on Coke because they have the best price for soda in the NBA at $5.60 for 2.  Tickets will run you $100.76 for 4.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $161.92

The Magic finished dead last, last year going 22-60. Which is likely why the ticket prices average $86.28 for 4 cheap seats, the 3rd lowest in the NBA.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $159.56

Larry Bird's former team has the lowest price overall for a family of 4. Bird was president of basketball operations 2013-2017.

TOTAL for a Family of 4: $147.80