NBA- No Babies Allowed
December 12th 2011 21:51
I'm sure the stars of yesterday in the NBA thought all the time of teaming up and joining forces in certain cities to create mini All-Star teams to run all over the rest of the league. But there is a difference between thinking what-if and actually doing it. I wonder if Michael Jordan would have felt all his titles would have been legitimate if he skipped town after not winning anything until eight years in the league.
There have been examples of this in prior NBA history, but not to this extent and especially not at the age of these stars. The Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Lebron James characters in the NBA represent the new breed of the NBA superstar. Guys who basically want to be able to have their cake and eat it too. Not only do they want to be in certain markets, but they also want to be able to win. Of course, it all makes sense because more popularity increases your own personal "brand," which leads to more business opportunities to make more money off-the-court. Winning games and championships is just another caveat to it all.
The advent of free agency has been over for over four decades in the NBA, but loyalty to one's team and franchise cannot be measured. I'm not going to say the big names in the past were angles and saints with regards to their own personal interests, but none of the fraternizing done amongst all stars under the age of 30 in this league right now was never done before. At least not publicly.
Two years ago at the Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe, Michael Jordan was asked the question about the Miami Heat's assembling of Wade, James, and Bosh. Jordan said in order to feel he could be the best he had to beat the best players not join them. Calling Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, or Charles Barkley was something Jordan never admitted to entertaining because he wanted to play against them. What stars admit that nowadays?
The answer: none. Now the Bulls did have a three-headed monster for three years and won three titles. But Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman were on the wrong side of 30 and it was more of a short term move more than a long term dynasty program. Even the Boston Celtics formation of the Big Three was done with guys near or right at their 30s. But Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul's friendships have basically dissolved rivalries and made stars seek options where they can market themselves and create the most opportunities for themselves on and off the court.
The Houston Rockets tried in the late 90s with aging stars in Barkley, Pippen, and Olajuwon. These guys were in their mid to late 30s, it was a strike shortened season, and they failed to get to the goal because their best days were behind them. Even a 50 game regular season did not do them any favors. They were a better team in the mid 90s and even then the only other All Star Houston got was Clyde Drexler in February of 1995 during their two year championship run.
Now the stars in their prime are teaming up in big markets and signing long terms deals in their early to mid 20s. But there are only so many game-changing stars to go around and if they all go to a few big city teams, most of the small and mid-market teams could literally become whipping boys unless they draft and trade flawlessly. But they will always face the threat of failing to keep whatever star they acquire from pouting in this day and age it seems.
There have been examples of this in prior NBA history, but not to this extent and especially not at the age of these stars. The Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Lebron James characters in the NBA represent the new breed of the NBA superstar. Guys who basically want to be able to have their cake and eat it too. Not only do they want to be in certain markets, but they also want to be able to win. Of course, it all makes sense because more popularity increases your own personal "brand," which leads to more business opportunities to make more money off-the-court. Winning games and championships is just another caveat to it all.
The advent of free agency has been over for over four decades in the NBA, but loyalty to one's team and franchise cannot be measured. I'm not going to say the big names in the past were angles and saints with regards to their own personal interests, but none of the fraternizing done amongst all stars under the age of 30 in this league right now was never done before. At least not publicly.
Two years ago at the Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe, Michael Jordan was asked the question about the Miami Heat's assembling of Wade, James, and Bosh. Jordan said in order to feel he could be the best he had to beat the best players not join them. Calling Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, or Charles Barkley was something Jordan never admitted to entertaining because he wanted to play against them. What stars admit that nowadays?
The answer: none. Now the Bulls did have a three-headed monster for three years and won three titles. But Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman were on the wrong side of 30 and it was more of a short term move more than a long term dynasty program. Even the Boston Celtics formation of the Big Three was done with guys near or right at their 30s. But Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, and Chris Paul's friendships have basically dissolved rivalries and made stars seek options where they can market themselves and create the most opportunities for themselves on and off the court.
The Houston Rockets tried in the late 90s with aging stars in Barkley, Pippen, and Olajuwon. These guys were in their mid to late 30s, it was a strike shortened season, and they failed to get to the goal because their best days were behind them. Even a 50 game regular season did not do them any favors. They were a better team in the mid 90s and even then the only other All Star Houston got was Clyde Drexler in February of 1995 during their two year championship run.
Now the stars in their prime are teaming up in big markets and signing long terms deals in their early to mid 20s. But there are only so many game-changing stars to go around and if they all go to a few big city teams, most of the small and mid-market teams could literally become whipping boys unless they draft and trade flawlessly. But they will always face the threat of failing to keep whatever star they acquire from pouting in this day and age it seems.
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