Bryant and Duncan are the last of the old-school superstars. The superstars who believed real men, players serious about their legacy in the game, don’t change teams just because they would rather play with their buddies.
The AAU-ization of the NBA that is now taking place should be a major issue in the upcoming labor negotiations. Maybe it should mean the adoption of the “franchise player” rule the NFL has. Something must be done to better help all teams keep their best players.
Something must be done to prevent the elite players from being able to pick and choose their teams, their teammates and their coaches. Miami Heat fans love the way the players are running the league now. Knicks fans couldn’t be happier superstars not only all want to play in New York, but they can also make it happen.
The problem for the NBA is the league also sells tickets in Cleveland, Toronto, Utah, Denver and many other cities that are not located on either coast.
And it won’t be long before fans in those cities, and others like them, stop buying what the NBA, and its cartel of spoiled, selfish superstars are selling.
Related posts: