Having NBA players in the Olympics is good
This is a preview of today’s full, robust newsletter. Want the whole thing, plus every full newsletter three times a week? This glorious prize is within your grasp for just $5 per month or $50 per year! Having NBA players in the Olympics is goodA controversial take on whether the best players in the world should play in the biggest international tournament in the sport.Good morning. Let’s basketball. In the Valley; Béla Iványi-Grünwald; 1901 As the Olympics get ready to begin again — opening ceremonies on Friday, the men’s 5x5 basketball tournament begins Saturday and the women’s 5x5 tournament begins Sunday — there is again discussion of whether NBA players should be involved, particularly on Team USA, which has won four consecutive gold medals and seven of the last eight on the men’s side. Some suggest that global basketball take a cue from soccer, where the FIFA World Cup and other continental and hemispheric competitions far outweigh the Olympics in terms of importance, leading to roster restrictions for the Games in which most players must be 23 or younger and have not appeared in a World Cup. I think it’s actually good that NBA players appear in the Olympics, and FIBA, the national federations and the league should all work to continue the practice. This probably doesn’t qualify as a controversial take, but it needs to be said. Having the best players in the world in a particular sport participate in the global centerpiece of athletic competition is good, and should continue. With no offense to FIBA, the Olympic men’s basketball tournament is the premiere international men’s basketball tournament, and restricting the presence of NBA player participation would not bolster the World Cup. It would just damage interest in the Olympic tournament. In an increasingly fractured media environment, the Olympics can’t afford to lose the star draw of basketball — even though other high-profile sports draw better audiences consistently. The NBA also really should not skip out on opportunities to have its top athletes promoted outside the context of its own product. This takes particular importance as NBC — who holds Olympic media rights in the United States through 2032, and probably beyond — gains NBA rights in 2025-26. Every four years the NBA’s brightest stars get more air time on someone else’s dime. And at least in 2024 and 2028, the competition happens in time zones conducive to American audiences. (Brisbane 2032 is going to be a challenge because, as I just confirmed, they mean Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, not Brisbane, California. Which, frankly, would have been pretty weird.) This is about much more than Team USA. ... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to Good Morning It's Basketball to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. A subscription gets you:
|
Older messages
Klay Thompson, Paul George and when business gets personal
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Both legends left their teams in free agency due at least in no small part due to disrespect. There's a lesson there. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Jalen Brunson's singular domino
Monday, July 15, 2024
The Knicks star took an immediate extension at substantial potential personal cost. It doesn't necessarily mean anything for anyone else. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
NBA realignment is coming. Who should go East when the West expands?
Friday, July 12, 2024
Weighing the three obvious candidates for a conference switch and whether more thorough realignment is in the cards. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Introducing the Consensus Best Player Alive metric
Thursday, July 11, 2024
No matter how you measure it, one name is obvious. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Nothing gold can stay
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
The Warriors lose Klay Thompson for almost nothing, and fall deeper into a talent hole. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
You Might Also Like
Liverpool Without Jurgen Klopp: Still Pretty Good!
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
I wrote about Liverpool, who A) are no longer coached by Jurgen Klopp, B) have conceded two goals in seven games, and C) have played one of the easiest schedules in the Premier League: ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Celebrating 1 Million Subscribers with a Limited Edition “Bet on Women” Collection!
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Pre-order yours for 18% off!
Champ Streak & MLB Four-Square
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Chiefs Stay Perfect, Extend Streak to 11. Royals & Tigers Get Even in ALDS & Much More...
Overthinking the Celtics
Monday, October 7, 2024
On the weight of seeming invincibility. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Good grief
Monday, October 7, 2024
Rally pumpkins at the ready
MLB Playoffs, CFB Chaos & NFL Week 5
Monday, October 7, 2024
Padres & Phillies Even NLDS. Vandy's Big Upset. Week 5's Top 5. WNBA, NHL, Soccer & More...
Sunday Scroll: Hello out there, we’re on the air
Sunday, October 6, 2024
NHL 101
Rodri Vs. Pep Guardiola: Who Ya' Got?
Friday, October 4, 2024
Sorry for the lack of a newsletter last week and earlier this week and later the week before last. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Why the Thunder will roll for a while
Friday, October 4, 2024
The books are organized to let the Shai-era Thunder compete for multiple years -- maybe the rest of the decade. ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Cause girls is players too
Friday, October 4, 2024
Icons only