The Portland Trail Blazers welcomed back a memorable national anthem singer ahead of their game against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Natalie Gilbert returned to the Blazers’ home arena nearly 22 years after her first performance on April 25, 2003, when the Blazers hosted the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Then 13 years old, Gilbert stumbled on her words and mixed up “twilight’s last gleaming” with “stars last gleaming.”
Up stepped Portland’s then-head coach Maurice Cheeks, who stood side-by-side with Gilbert to encourage her, saying, “C’mon,” before singing “stars last gleaming” with Gilbert. The former Philadelphia 76ers guard continued to sing alongside her, and the crowd joined in as well.
Cheeks and the teenager belted “home of the brave” together, and Cheeks gave her a hug to close out the heartwarming performance. They later appeared on “The Tonight Show” and CNN.
This time, Gilbert sang the anthem without issue, leading to rousing applause from the Moda Center crowd. The broadcast showed a grinning and clapping Cheeks, who is currently on the Knicks’ coaching staff.
A Rip City redemption like no other 🥹❤️🎶 pic.twitter.com/FHPZuZDuMJ
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 13, 2025
how it started vs. how it’s going 🫂❤️ https://t.co/ewjnNnecg2 pic.twitter.com/vHx1dL8Jla
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 13, 2025
Wednesday’s performance allowed for a pregame reunion between Gilbert and Cheeks.
“When I felt like I was very helpless and hopeless, coach walked right over, no hesitation, helped me finish the song,” Gilbert said Wednesday on the Blazers broadcast.
She shared that the moment has given her “so much courage” to persevere through challenges in her life. Gilbert described seeing Cheeks again as “surreal.”
“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 said. “Seeing him and seeing that he’s still the standup guy today that he was back then, it’s amazing.”
