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The Game vs. The NBA... Let me start off by making something clear, I do not hate the NBA. I hate the NBA attitude. That does not imply that every player in the league has a poor attitude, it implies that a lot, not all, have lost sight of what got them where they are. How many times have you seen a player refuse to dive for a ball going out of bounds, in the middle of the game? In my opinion, there are a couple of reasons. First and foremost, it is not in their contract. Why should they risk injury? They are going to get paid either way, right? Secondly, they don't want to exert too much energy when they play such a LONG season. Lastly, what are they going to get out of it? They have already made the NBA, there is really nothing to play for now. I feel this attitude is hurting the game. When these players were in college, assuming that they went to college (that is another story), they would run through a brick wall trying to steal the opening tip. They would play tired and hurt because they had something to play for, a life time dream to fulfill, playing in the NBA. The greatness of basketball lies in the feeling of desperation. If players did not give all they had at the lower levels of the game, they did not get on the court, and they knew it. They did not have the luxury of taking it easy for a game or two, because they knew that with the amount of money they were getting paid, the coach would have to play them or the COACH would get in trouble with the team owners. This is apparent every year in the NBA. How many coaches have been fired because the players didn't produce wins? You can not deny the fact that some great players are on teams they want to be on. So, they play half-ass to get traded to a better team. This is a poor example that the professional players are setting for the players of the future. In all fairness, there are a couple of players who do not fit this mold. The best example is Michael Jordan. He was drafted by the Bulls, then the worst team in the NBA. He gave 110% on each and every play. The players around him took note, and raised their level of play as well. He became the best player in history, never complaining or trying to get traded. He respected the fact that it was a privilege to be an NBA player, and he made the best of a bad situation. He stuck it out through the bad times, and along the way, set the best example ever for young players to follow. It is my fear that money is such a strong factor in the NBA, that we will never see the likes of a Michael Jordan again. We, as basketball fans, can only hope that somewhere there is another Michael, working on his game, waiting to make the business of basketball, a game again.
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