The National Basketball League is an international professional basketball league situated in North America. The league consists of 30 teams and is among the four major professional sports leagues in both the United States and Canada. It is the premier men’s pro basketball league throughout the world. The NBA has a record selling television contract and is a strong sponsor of the league with a total value of more than $70 million. In addition, the NBA is involved in several additional activities like publishing a basketball magazine, conducting the annual Olympics training and conditioning camp and organizing the world exhibition game. All these activities make the NBA an unforgettable entity for both the players and the fans.
Since its first season (1947), the NBA has been a strong competitor in terms of market share among sports leagues and today it is considered to be the most popular and competitive sports league. The NBA is divided into two conferences namely the Eastern and Western Conference. The major teams playing in the NBA are the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics. Major League Baseball has a minor role in NBA as it provides minor leagues.
During its first four seasons, the NBA was led by two men who shaped it today-Wilt Chamberlin and Phil Jackson. A famous player who played during the tenure of those two legendary coaches is Clyde Drexler who currently plays for the Denver Nuggets. There have been outstanding players who have come up through the NBA system and played a vital role in NBA history like Larry Bird, John Paxson, Isiah Thomas, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris Paul and coach Mike Krzyzewski. Amongst this talented list of players, the present crop is well known and the finest among them is Michael Redd. The present players are getting better and the future stars could be seen in the near future too. Hence, it is hoped that this article would provide a platform for young athletes coaching staff and aspiring basketball professionals.
Every sport has its unique identity, but the NBA has its own unique identity which can never be replicated. This is the main reason as to why the NBA is enjoying immense popularity among sports lovers from all over the globe. The players represent their team with heart and soul and they have a strong determination to achieve success.
The present crop of NBA players are paying more attention towards their personal lives and earning millions of dollars while doing so. It is almost as if they have become a millionaire overnight! In fact, there have been cases of players indulging in excessive gambling, expensive watches and other luxury items and spending lavishly without considering the consequences later. The same thing can’t be said about the fans as they don’t get to see the results of their own efforts. This is because the NBA is yet to find its identity through the medium of television or video games. The result of this excessive spending by the players and the popularity of the NBA franchise is yet to witness.
It is obvious that the recent scandals and controversies involving the NBA has made many fans lose their luster regarding the league and its players. The social media has also played a crucial role in highlighting the negative aspects of the NBA and the fans are slowly losing their interest. With these factors in mind, it is time that the aspiring basketball players and coaches should learn from past mistakes and should form a solid strategy which should ensure longevity for the NBA.