Herman Veal Chops

Comparing college basketball to the NBA has been done to death. Steven A. Smith aside, most people universally agree that the College ball is far superior to the NBA. Sure the NBA players are more skilled than college players, but that is exactly the point. College basketball is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.

Unfortunately, with the NBA you know exactly what you will get. Let’s take a look at the three major professional sports (Hockey doesn’t count anymore). Since 1980, Major League baseball has had 16 different World Series Champions and if Boston wins this year, 17. The NFL has had 13 different Super Bowl Champions during the same period. As we all have heard, parity is the key to a successful professional sport. Fans need to feel that every season their team has a chance at the beginning of the season. Even with all of the dynasties in both the NFL (San Fran, Dallas, and Joe Gibbs’ Redskins), and MLB (Yankees, nearly half of the teams have won a championship. That’s pretty encouraging for fans, right? Alright, so what’s my point?

Since 1980, the NBA has had only seven different champions. I couldn’t believe that stat when I saw it. Besides the 76ers in 1983, the other six teams have won multiple championships during this period. That means that nearly 80% of the franchises in the league haven’t won in 25 years. Now I’m a Bullets/Wizards fan, and we all know what a pathetic franchise that it has been. I don’t remember the title in 1978, but the Wizards have had more recent success than 21 other NBA teams! Here’s my point, this is the most top heavy and predictable league in all of professional sports. The same teams are in it every year, and the rest of the franchises are hopelessly mismanaged and out of luck. In DC, we complain about Abe Pollin and Wes Unseld, but how do you think people in Golden State feel? Milwaukee? Atlanta?

Of all the professional sports, the NBA should have the most parity. With only five players on the court at one time, teams should be able to turn around quickly through draft picks. But it doesn’t happen. Why? Can it be that these other 23 teams have horrendous management? Is it that the rules tend to allow coaches to isolate superstars, while other players stand and watch? Is it that NBA superstars only want to play in certain cities for certain coaches? Perhaps the most significant factor is that with 82 games, there is no such thing as a big regular season game. In college ball, every game means something. I think the NBA sucks due to a combination of all these factors.

I don’t what the NBA can do to fix itself, but I would start by shortening the season to 50 games. As it stands, 30 games into the season, 10 teams are already out of it and the fans, players, and media know it. Secondly, I would be looking to eliminate some teams or at the very least, relocate them. Why are the Clippers in Los Angeles? Why does Golden State play in Oakland and not in San Jose or San Fran? Why does Memphis have a team? New Orleans? Teams should be located in urban centers. I think moving the Nets to Brooklyn will eventually be copied by other franchises. Either way, and for all of its faults, I’m so glad that there is College Basketball.