NBA Lockout 2011: 10 Superstars with the Most to Gain

This has been a difficult weekend for most NBA fans as a lengthy and ugly lockout haunts our sweet dreams at night. If you’re like me, you’ve been abruptly woken up with sweat dripping down your face each of the past three nights because a devilish God-like red face has been screaming into your soul that we will be without the NBA for at least one season.

As the insurmountable weight of an NBA lockout provides us with excruciating pain, there are a select group of current superstars that actually benefit from such a lockout. Yes, they will be upset over the possibility of missing out on an entire season of NBA action, but this year could prove to further their careers in the long run.

Kobe Bryant, as I suggested recently, might have the most to gain from anybody in the league. Yet, being forced to step away from the game as the lockout wages on will also benefit a host of other veteran megastars.

Veterans looking to make another championship run are not the only ones who will gain from the lockout, too. There are several media darlings and emerging megastars that do not need to be on the court to still thrive during this emotional time. Which young studs have already exceeded the game in the eyes of the public and media?

Bryant is joined by nine others on this list who have no need to worry about this current, disgusting lockout that could cost us an entire season of fast-paced, thrilling and intoxicating NBA action.

10. Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett has been a poster boy for aging and declining superstar veterans. Easily the most intense megastar in the game, he has given every ounce of energy to the Boston Celtics in recent years.

The wear and tear of failing in the playoffs and battling injuries has taken its toll on his mind. He needs this time off to regain strength in his body to better prepare for another grueling season.

Any time off a veteran like KG can get at this point will spell doom for the rest of the NBA, especially the Miami Heat. KG, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are aging, but they still have what it takes for a championship run and this lockout would better allow them to win it all with the extended time to rest.

9. Manu Ginobili

Manu Ginobili has battled frequent injuries over the past several years. He is one of the main veterans who benefit greatly from a lockout as he will be able to rest his body and work to gain strength in the offseason.

He knows his championship window is almost completely gone, which is why he needs the lockout to last as long as possible. In a shortened season, his veteran San Antonio Spurs will have arguably the best opportunity to win it all. They collapsed late in the season and the first round of the playoffs because of the wear and tear the season unleashes on the body.

In a shortened season or even an entire year to heal, Ginobili would have a great deal of energy and youthful exuberance to unleash on the rest of the league.

8. Yao Ming

It is difficult not to feel for Yao Ming, who has been a determined worker throughout his career. He is simply too big for his body and is thus an injury-prone superstar. He is still not even close to 100 percent and might even be forced to retire.

Yet if we are forced to miss an entire season, Yao greatly benefits from the time off to heal. He would not be missing any game action and would be able to make sure he gets the proper treatment in order to make a comeback to the game instead of retiring.

If anybody is hoping for a lockout, Yao should be that man despite his fun-loving nature.

7. Greg Oden

Greg Oden was one of the most promising big men to ever enter the NBA. The only concern was durability, which has plagued him his entire career thus far.

He is attempting to come back from several knee surgeries and will have the chance to finally live up to his potential.

Oden will benefit from the lockout because he will not feel the pressure to rush back too soon. He can take his time to continue healing and honing his skills and conditioning to get back on the court when the season begins.

He is hoping not to be one of the worst No. 1 overall draft picks ever and will need to be 100 percent healthy in order to do so. This lockout will help him shed that "bust" label.

6. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin is already a media megastar. He dunks over cars, tigers and maybe even jet fighters.

It already feels like Griffin is on top of the world, and his marketability is through the roof after his dominant rookie season. He is an athletic freak and one of the biggest fan favorites in all of sports.

He makes a living dunking the ball on the court, but with his explosiveness and charisma, he can do the same off the court. Everybody wants a piece of Blake and that will not change with the lockout underway.

Tiger jump!

5. Jimmer Fredette

Jimmer Fredette was the biggest superstar of the 2011 draft class. He will continue to be a superstar in the NBA, but he risks losing a ton of popularity if he fails to impress at the next level. The longer he stays off the court, the better.

He now has the time to prepare to play point guard at the NBA level. He will be able to work out this offseason and learn the intricacies of being a great starting point guard, which he will surely have to do in Sac-Town.

He can still soak up being a superstar despite not even stepping on the court just yet. This is his time to live it up in the face of the media, and prepare himself for his NBA role to prevent losing his strong fanbase.

4. Tim Duncan

No player in this league seemed older than Tim Duncan. He looked like he ate too many Dunkin’ Donuts in the offseason. He was visibly worn down throughout the season and was a shell of his former Hall of Fame self.

This offseason will allow him to rest his waning knees and legs. The longer he has to rest his body, the worse off the rest of the NBA will be. He will come back better prepared to bang in the paint and make another championship run.

This is his time to heal and rejuvenate himself. His window is nearly shut and he knows this might be the most important offseason of his career as he has one last chance to win an NBA championship as the superstar of the Spurs.

3. Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki is on top of the basketball world. He will be able to stay there as long as the lockout continues. He is absolutely living it up as he travels the world as the reigning NBA champion and Finals MVP.

Right now, everyone is rearranging their "best ever" lists to move Dirk up the ranks. This is the best time of Dirk’s life and he and the rest of the Dallas Mavericks will continue to feel this joy for the entire lockout. They will continue to be the hottest commodities in the basketball world because they went out on top.

Nowitzki will soon appear in just about every NBA commercial there is. He will continue to bless the covers of magazines because he is the new poster boy for determination, hard work and success in the Association.

2. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Beef has been bruised and battered in recent years and desperately needs an extended period of time to go on his search for the fountain of youth. The lockout will be the closest thing possible right now.

Bryant needs to heal his myriad of wounds, highlighted by his fingers and recent knee injury. He underwent a minor, but unorthodox, knee procedure in Germany last month and will benefit from the extra time given to strengthen every waning muscle in his body.

More importantly, he will be able to rest his mind in addition to his body. He has been captaining an NBA title-driven team, which always takes a toll in the long run. He was visible tired in the postseason as he attempted to secure a shot at a fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearance.

Bryant needs this time away from the game to collect himself physically and mentally, which will allow him to better prepare for another chance at tying Michael Jordan’s six NBA championships.

1. LeBron James

"King" James has been berated over the past calendar year because of his decision to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and then because of his abysmal fourth-quarter play in the NBA Finals. With Wade and Bosh by his side, it was inexcusable for the King to bow down to anybody, let alone a renegade group of Mavericks from Dallas.

He’s been heavily scrutinized for every action and comment, which is why the lockout greatly benefits "The King." He can still reign supreme through his marketing ventures, but he could use this time to step away from Twitter and anything resembling a press conference.

He needs to regain some of the fanbase he lost and the longer the lockout lasts, the further we get from his recent disappointments.

Sure, they’ll be relived once the eventual season begins, but until then, all eyes will be on the disruptive lockout and not on James.