Saturday night, while watching the Sacramento State men’s basketball team’s heartbreaker against Idaho State, I was granted a young sports journalists dream: an interview with three NBA basketball players, Tyronn Lue, Josh Childress and Al Harrington of the Atlanta Hawks.

It was too good to be true. Here were three athletes, sitting like every other Bob and Matt at a Hornet game, just waiting for a skinny college kid like myself to ask them those meaningless questions that touch the journalistic heart.

Thoughts of “why are you here?” and “What do you think of Sac State ball?” ran through my head. I needed answers.

I strolled up the bleacher steps, notebook in hand, as nervous as Ron Artest stranded in downtown Detroit.

As the three men gazed confusingly at me, I sat down, and in my best “I can’t even talk to girls at this school let alone professional athletes” voice introduced myself and asked them “What are you doing at a Sac State game?”

The Stanford alum, Childress, explained to me that Sac State guard Justin Williams is a family friend, so he came out to watch him play. Lue explained that he is friends with Hornet guard DaShawn Freeman, so that is why he decided to check out the Hornets.

I chatted with the Lue and Childress about everything from Ron Artest to Arden Fair Mall, it was great.

Look out Stephen A. Smith I thought, Josh Oates is the next witty basketball analyst ready for the prime time.

I had talked to two of the three, but I wasn’t satisfied. I needed Al Harrington to say a few words. As I looked up at 6 feet 9 inches of pure intimidation, I noticed a watch that could only be compared to a Boxer’s title belt, wrapped around Harrington’s wrist.

Grinning like a 6 year-old who had just been handed a bowl of ice cream, I asked, “Hey Mr. Harrington, is that a Jacob the Jeweler watch?”

Harrington with pity and disgrace looked down at me, grabbed his throat and replied softly, “I can’t talk man… no voice.”

“It’s all good, sorry to have bothered you,” I said in a dejected voice.

Nonetheless, I strolled down the bleacher steps, a new man. I was Rick Reilly, Tom Verducci, Dan LeBatard. I was in the professional crowd.

Confidently I sat down and watched the remainder of the game unfold. As the clock ticked down, I glanced over at the three NBA stars walking by, Childress laughing, Lue limping, and Harrington talking and carrying on like a teenage girl.

My sun of stardom had set.

Josh Oates can be reached at [email protected]