The Return of the NBA: How the League Got Its Groove Back

Jack Vuylsteke — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:41:19 -0500

The March issue of ESPN The Magazine features an interview with the man himself, Michael Jeffrey Jordan, about what he thinks is wrong with the NBA and what he thinks could be done to fix it.

Not to discredit ESPN or my childhood hero, but I think the NBA has done a nice job of fixing itself over the last five years.

Five years ago, the NBA was nearly unwatchable. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why, but as a guy who has never lost his love for the game of basketball, I can tell you that something was wrong with the league. The image of the game was all wrong, the public put basketball on the backburner, the Finals (in 2002-2003, Nets vs. Spurs) were the least watched Finals of all time, and Michael Jeffrey Jordan announced his third (and final) retirement from the league.

Leaving a league that was already scrambling for its life in even more jeopardy.

You can say Jordan really retired in 1998, the year the Bulls' dynasty died. But just the thought of having him in the league kept me interested and kept that intangible early 90s, "NBA on NBC", Bob Costas, Marv Albert, "Jordan...YES!!" flair in the league.

When he walked away, he left some big Nikes to fill.

The roadblocks have been there for the NBA. After the Pistons-Pacers brawl, I thought the league was never going to recover. That was a consummation of what the NBA was mired in—fans who didn't like what they saw on the court, and players who didn't care about the fans.

The league did recover though, mostly thanks to the development of the right types of superstars.

It's taken awhile, but after this All-Star Weekend, I think it's safe to say the league is back to the prowess that it had back when I was a kid, when I first realized that basketball was more than a game to me, but a way of life.

I couldn't be more excited.

The NBA is getting stronger because it is evolving into a league where superstars are just the best players on a five man team with an eight man rotation, not the whole team. Think about it. On every team in the league, there is at least two or three guys you can name off as being the stalwarts of that particular jersey. This has been contributed to by the globalization of the league for sure, but America has grown some pretty nice talent for itself in the past few years.

LeBron James is, though cliche, the messiah of NBA Basketball. He had himself a nice weekend to say the least, and he's going to have himself a brilliant career. LeBron has all the talent you could ask for, a nice little mean streak in him when he needs it, and the ability to make anyone, be they a casual hoops fan or an NBA scout sit back and say "Wow. Did he really just do that?"

Carmelo Anthony is, if I must be so bold, the Bird to LeBron's Jordan, except without the six year age deferential. These two are going to go at it for years to come, and Carmelo can most certainly play in his own right.

Dwyane Wade isn't my favorite player, but there's no denying he's the definition of a superstar. He's already got a ring, he's probably the most marketable NBA player right now, and he has a funny personality. I feel bad that he's stuck on this Miami team; if he was on a contender this year, he'd be a whole lot more fun to watch.

The Deron Williams vs. Chris Paul rivalry is something that will stay around until both of these guys retire, and I couldn't be happier. These are the 2.0 versions of Jason Kidd and Gary Payton, and they're the same age. These guys might end up being two of the best PGs of all time, and we get to watch their careers develop in front of our eyes.

Dwight Howard is an absolute man. He singlehandedly got people talking about the dunk contest again after this weekend, and with him being a guaranteed returner for next year's contest, that will be an can't-miss event once again. When I look at Dwight Howard and realize he's only a year older than I am I can't help but think, first, how that is humanly possible, but then, second, that, barring health issues, we have fifteen more years of Dwight Howard to look forward to.

These guys above are true superstars, but they're also nice guys. Kids that are just discovering the league can feel good about hanging a Dwyane Wade poster on their wall, or save up money to buy the new Melos when they come out so they can impress their friends on the playground.

The NBA still has some room for improvement, but so does every league. What impresses me the most is that, despite adversity, the NBA has made itself relevant again.

Fans of the NBA, your league is back.

Stop Kidd-ing Around: Dallas Doesn't Need Jason Kidd

Jack Vuylsteke — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:04:47 -0500

Just a few days ago, the Dallas Mavericks were on the brink of trading for New Jersey point guard Jason Kidd in a hectic effort to keep up with the rest of the West.

Now, that deal seems like it's on life support.

Dallas, breathe a sigh of relief.

Mavs fans can trust me on this. Dealing away the future of the franchise in Devin Harris, a serviceable backup center in Diop (who can defend the West's big men and can stay healthy unlike starting center Erick Dampier), and half the team's rotational depth in Stackhouse and George would have been a bad move.

Especially since J-Kidd doesn't guarantee you anything.

This year, Kidd's Nets are a shockingly mediocre 23-30 at the All Star Break. A team that has Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson should never lose 30 games in the first half of a season if those players are playing up to their potential.

But that's been the problem with Kidd this season. He has underperformed, underachieved, and shown definite signs of a point guard on his way out of the top tier of the NBA (with his successor already running the point for the Utah Jazz).

So, why the urgency to get him?

Add Jason Kidd with 35 years of wear on his tires to a team that has only one roadblock, team chemistry, and try to win a title THIS YEAR?

Don't think so.

Mark Cuban has said so many times in the past the phrase that Mavs fans have reluctantly come to accept: "We like our team."

Then keep it that way.

I'm a Mavericks fan, and I like Jason Kidd. I honestly do. But I'm going to be a Mavericks fan in five years, too. In five years, Kidd would be long gone, and Devin Harris might be (and I think will be) a premier point guard in the league for the New Jersey Nets. The Mavericks won't see a first round pick until 2010, so there's no hope for fresh blood unless they make yet another trade.

If Cuban likes our team, then he needs to plan for the future and let this team get stronger. The only thing standing in Dallas' way for a title right now is themselves.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Jack Vuylsteke

The Return of the NBA: How the League Got Its Groove Back

Stop Kidd-ing Around: Dallas Doesn't Need Jason Kidd