Saturday, July 9, 2011

I've Got a Random Fact About NBA Players Going Overseas

Hey Kiddos, I'm back with free time, a quality connection and things to talk about.  Apologies for the break and for those of you hankering for some random facts, I've got your fix.  Soon enough I plan to address the fallout on the Ohio State debacle, Wimbledon results and what they mean about Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray, as well as a bit of politics*, but first the most intriguing news that I have encountered regarding the NBA lockout.

*In no way will I ever discuss politics on this blog.

I don't believe I need to comment on the NBA lockout in general, although it is interesting to hear of the recent spat over NBA profitability.  Normally businesses try at all costs to appear profitable, even when they're not, so as not to scare off investors.  NBA teams (apparently) want to convey just the opposite, so they can get away with paying their players less.  An odd development, to say the least.  In any case, one of my favorite political bloggers took some time to tease out details on NBA profitability, you can find his posts here:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/calling-foul-on-n-b-a-s-claims-of-financial-distress/
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/05/n-b-a-disputes-forbes-analysis-suggesting-league-is-profitable/

On the overall possibility of a prolonged lockout, Bill Simmons had some interesting things to say:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6749669/if-ruled-nba-world

As for the part about which I am concerned, if you are an ESPN(aholic) like I am, you are already aware that Deron Williams is thinking about signing with a Turkish team and that Sonny Weems has already signed with a Lithuanian team.  Weems does not have an out clause should an NBA season materialize.  Williams, being a star, does (although I plan to argue that he should not).  Either way, the fact that international teams are able to attract NBA talent during this period is a significant shift in the history of basketball.  Unlike Brandon Jennings, who was an unproven commodity, or Allen Iverson/Stephon Marbury, who were both unable to contribute to NBA teams (due to demeanor more than age), Deron Williams is a stud, who would rightfully be a perennial all-star starting pg in the east if it weren't for a kid named Rose.
What this all means is that international basketball is a force to be reckoned with.  It's surprising to me how often commentators feel compelled  to mention the number of international draft picks in the most recent draft class.  Basketball is internationalizing at a rate faster than any other american sport, mostly because its cheap and simple to play (attributes not shared by baseball, football or hockey).  The popularity of basketball has also reached a relative peak in the US in the last year.  At this time, the question is whether a lockout is ruinous for the sport or potentially a tremendous opportunity.  Several commentators have wondered why the NBA would risk a lockout when its popularity is at its highest.  If players the caliber of Deron Williams are ready to play overseas in the event of a lockout, it seems to me that the NBA is poised to reap the benefits internationally.  DWill and others could be the catalyst that skyrockets NBA popularity to its highest levels.  If fans in Turkey were able to watch DWill for an entire year, I wonder how many would maintain that connection with him whenever he went back to the NBA.  How many would want to watch him on the nets?  How many would be open to an NBA game in Turkey?  There will come a day when other leagues could compete for the top prospects with the NBA straight up, but until then, this is a great opportunity for non-NBA leagues, while still not a loss for the American league this year.

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