Twenty-two years after her last national anthem performance before a Portland Trail Blazers game, Natalie Gilbert was back Wednesday night to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" with Maurice Cheeks in attendance.
Back in 2003, Gilbert (now known as Natalie Zito), then 13 years old, struggled during her rendition prior to a game. Seeing she was in need of assistance, Cheeks, the then-Blazers head coach, approached Zito, put his arm around her and told her, "It's all right," and helped her get through the song.
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It's a moment that went viral at the time with Cheeks, now an assistant with the New York Knicks, and Zito appearing together on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," CNN and Good Morning America, among other interviews.
Zito, now 35, didn't need Cheeks' help this time around for her performance before the Knicks' buzzer-beating overtime win over the Blazers.
A Rip City redemption like no other 🥹❤️🎶 pic.twitter.com/FHPZuZDuMJ
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) March 13, 2025
Zito and Cheeks met up before the game and she told the Blazers broadcast that in a moment 22 years ago where he she felt "helpless and hopeless" Cheek was there to help her get through it.
"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," said Zito, who is a Blazers season ticket holder. "Seeing him and seeing that he's still the standup guy today that he was back then, it's amazing."