Keeping up with the Kardashians, Jersey Shore, Real World. All these just might be the most popular reality tv shows ever. And whether we want to admit it or not, we have all watched bits and pieces, or entire episodes, of any of those three shows. You’re lying if you tell me you turn the TV off when Mike the Situation and DJ Pauly D are about to throw hands, or if Kim and Kourtney get a call about the trouble Scott just got into while out of town. Following the lives of animated characters is fun, for we humans are drawn to drama and conflict.
The NBA is one big reality show. And as an avid sports fan, it’s better than any other content I’ve experienced on TV; it’s real life! Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook going through a breakup. Lavar Ball and Joel Embiid trolling everybody in sight. Kawhi Leonard and his fallout with the San Antonio Spurs. Bryan Colangelo, former GM of the 76ers having burner accounts trashing his own players. There are so many more in this most recent season alone, I’m not even scratching the surface. I believe for this reason, and this reason only, the NBA is on its way to be the juggernaut of USA sports when it comes to the big four.
Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals in the MLB started a campaign for “making baseball fun again,” encouraging players to show more of their personality. Bryce wanted more emotion displayed in game, allowing the public to see what it’s like to be a professional athlete. The NFL, a league governed by a strict emperor in Roger Goodell, took a step to make football fun again by allowing for celebration dances in the end-zone after scoring touchdowns. In the past, players would be penalized for these types of celebrations. And we can’t forget about the NHL and the Las Vegas Knights during the Stanley Cup Finals, delivering mini elaborate shows on ice before games to get fans involved, showing them and the entire country something they’ve never witnessed before. All of these are examples of how billion dollar leagues are trying to stay relevant, and in my mind, keep up with the NBA.
It’s not like the competition of the NBA is super interesting in all honesty. It’s fun to watch the rookies and young players who will soon take over the league, and it’s always fun to root for your team (especially when its the Celtics), and follow storylines along the season. But the NBA has been full of constants recently. We’ve had the same Finals matchup the past 4 years, with an overall understanding of who wins that series. It’s known LeBron is far and away the best player in the league. The Clippers are still a dumpster fire, James Harden and the Rockets won’t make it out of the West, the Raptors are never ever going to win any important playoff series, the All Star Break is an absolute joke, . None of this is new, but we’re still watching.
NBA players are animated, and say what they think. We want to follow their lives on the court, and continue watching as they leave the arena. It’s a formula that Adam Silver inherited with the explosion of Twitter and other social media to keep millennials watching their games. Even during the offseason, the NBA is still active. When free agents like Lebron James, Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, DeMarcus Cousins all pick new teams, we pay attention. For the NBA has been able to activate the “what if” question in fans. What if the Celtics finally make it out of the East? What if Kawhi helps Toronto to become a legitimate contender? Then there are other questions like are LeBron’s Lakers going to be any good? How is anyone going to stop the Warriors now? The list goes on.
I could write for hours about why the NBA is the best league we have in the US. But I’d rather just sit back and watch it all unfold. Below are some links to articles about the upcoming 2018-2019 NBA season. Enjoy!
1.) https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2791363-buying-or-selling-nba-offseasons-hottest-takes#slide1
2.) https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2018/08/10/the-10-most-compelling-nba-games-on-the-2018-2019-schedule/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.4700bc5d515e
Austin Taylor 