Halftime Hype

As I've been looking through recent issues of periodicals, the "decade in review" seems to be as unavoidable as when news broke out of Michael Jackson's death - which made top ten lists for something or another. Although, I feel that what's just as important as reflecting upon the last ten years, is pondering the next decade. Obviously, there's no accurate method of predicting what is to come for the NBA. However, using the 2000s as a "decade in review" definitely helps.

Who will become the face of the league in the next ten years? Often times, it is the best player, the most-talented individual who fans would mention if they had to associate the league with a sole star. Presently, that would be Kobe Bryant. At the Beijing Olympics his greeting was practically as loud as the roar the native Yao Ming received. Nonetheless, for some time now, zealous Lebron fans have claimed James is the league's best. At the least, we can admit that LBJ is on track to surpass Kobe in the very near future - possibly by next year. In the next few years, Lebron James, and maybe even Dwyane Wade, will become the two most popular ambassadors of the NBA.

Then, there's the thought of how the league's other promising players will end up. As of late, Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, and even Omri Casspi have been making some noise. Last season, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and O.J. Mayo blossomed into stars, while some, like Jason Thompson, are shining and still full of potential. Channing Frye is showing he can score in Phoenix. Not to be forgotten is Monta Ellis, who has no trouble surpassing the thirty-point barrier. Ultimately, it's these players who will inherit the next puppet battles from LBJ and KB.

This also gives a small sense of what direction the league is headed in, in terms of players. The relevance of the big man is all but gone, as basketball is being monopolized by the guards. As a result, big men are sure to be more highly-coveted. Players like Mareese Speights and Bynum, oh, and Greg Odom - legitimate post threats - are an endangered species. Post play is no longer what it used to be. I'm not suggesting that all thirty NBA teams will resort to :07 seconds or less offense or arrange their line-ups for "Nellie ball", because, ultimately, if we don't produce enough homegrown big men, there's another stream.



The other source for 7-footers may end up having been originated overseas. The other day, I was watching a Euroleague game with FC Barcelona on NBA TV, and there is such a large talent pool to choose from. With that said, the Euroleague, as well as other emerging basketball leagues around the globe, house a wide variety of players - not just big men, as we saw with Ricky Rubio and not as directly, Brandon Jennings. For a long time, the NBA was the only place to observe basketball how it was meant to be played. That's no longer true. The Euroleague has offered new prospects, and for those who have watched Euroleague play, has become a decent alternative to the NBA.

What's yet to be seen is whether or not the NBA will continue its reign as the top league in the world or will co-rule with the Euroleague. Personally, I'd like to see more European action be made available to viewers here in the U.S. On the other hand, that would cause it to compete with the NBA. And the moment when fans opt for the Maccabi Tel Aviv match instead of the Toronto Raptors game (also somewhat foreign since based in Canada), that's when David Stern has an issue. What would be even better than being able to watch foreign squads through a television set, though, would be to watch them battle it out live in an arena. If NBA teams can play in foreign arenas during the preseason, why shouldn't foreign teams be able to do the same? After all, the offseason is more or less the same for pro basketball leagues around the world.



Another thing to watch is the relevance of NCAA basketball and the D-League. Right now, for some, going to college to qualify for NBA play has become a joke. As Phil Jackson admitted earlier this week, many college players make an effort during the first semester to be academically eligible for basketball, only to tank second semester and treat class as a joke before they leave for the NBA. College should be a place where players can actually improve their game and develop a multi-faceted skill set so draftees 1-60 can make an immediate impact upon their arrival in the NBA. The NCAA shouldn't be taken lightly as a series of games to pad stats and count down the days 'til it's over.

As for the NBA's developmental league, I don't know how many people are aware it even exists. The average fan probably has never heard of it. Things were going in the right direction when Rod Benson, a D-League player, began blogging for Yahoo Sports's Ball Don't Lie. However, after a workout with the Pacers, he was forced to abruptly end his blog, and the NBADL hasn't gotten much publicity since. The D-League doesn't have a simple marketing issue; it has unrecognized talent that at the least, deserves to be seen. As the Developmental League is an NBA enterprise, it could market itself by putting D-League games on NBA TV or make it a free ad-on to League Pass. I don't have league pass, but I'm sure there's slots of D-League and Euroleague play on NBA TV because the only major programs are All-Access with Ahmad Rashad and the one game on each day. Maybe the D-League could use an All-Star weekened, if they don't already have something similiar that I'm not aware of.

Lastly, the next decade will surely have differnt contenders. With this summer's upcoming, blockbuster free agent market, the balance of power will change. Not to come off as a homer, but it's hard to imagine the Lakers as a non-threat with Bynum's contract being extended, Pau Gasol extension all but done, and a new contract for KB already in the works. Other than that, the rest is fair game. I'm not ready to declare that whichever team has Lebron will be a contender as that hasn't been the case in Cleveland, but if there's a team with Lebron and D-Wade, which has been rumored, though very unlikely, that could be a successful team.

If I were to begin predicting actual teams right now, I'd have to start with the teams of the future stars. As Brandon Jennings continues to become a better player, Milwaukee can only become a better team. The other players in Wisconsin ain't bad, themselves. The Turkish native, Ersan Ilyasova, can be a decisive X-factor and Bogut is capable of producing double figures. Philadelphia, though not performing very well this season, is a team looks to be on the rise. With a young nucleus of Iguadola, Williams, and Speights, along with promising talent in Green and Holiday, Philly is at liberty to succeed as it pleases. I would suggest Golden State, but there must be better coaching in place in order to succeed. EDIT: Also, the young guys with Oklahoma City seem to have a bright future.

Overall, the next decade will be very different, to say the least. New players will emerge as those born prior to '80s begin to filter out of the league. The day Steve Nash and Kobe retire will be a sad one, but when the leaders of the new era prove that they can prosper in the same endevours, there will certainly be few regrets. In short, we should welcome the new decade as we have with each one before it: with open arms and high hopes.