Warriors superfan in Oakland appeals to higher power
OAKLAND (KPIX) -- A Golden State Warriors superfan spent a little more time at church Sunday morning, praying for divine intervention in Game 3 which many analysts said was a must-win game for the Dallas Mavericks.
Lloyd Canamore said he made sure to attend Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church in West Oakland to pray for a win. He wanted to remind people not to underestimate the power of prayer.
"Praying gives me more superpower. I've got God in me," Canamore said.
He said church and Warriors basketball helped him through many tragedies over the years: the loss of his 14-year-old son to cancer, the deaths of his two brothers in 2016 and the death of his mother in 2019.
"Some stuff he was going through at the time ... sports was what he leaned on," said Brandin Murphy, Canamore's nephew. "He watched the games to get away from all the negative things."
Lloyd said watching the games gives him an escape from all the pain. It was his way to cope with trauma in his life. That was partly why he loved the Warriors so much.
In 2016, he even had his West Oakland house on 35th Street painted in Warriors team colors of blue and golden yellow and, when he faced foreclosure in 2020, Warriors guard Stephen Curry promoted a GoFundMe page that ultimately raised enough money to save the house.
As the Warriors took on the Mavericks Sunday evening, Canamore was praying the team will stay focused and play with toughness.
"We're going to win, I'm ready for the parade," Canamore said.
