Hockey analyst PK Subban has been at the center of sports news as excitement surrounding the 4 Nations Face-Off title during NHL All-Star break evoked a conversation about the lack of NBA fan and player enthusiasm these days.
The NBA’s biggest name, LeBron James, bowed out of the All-Star competition at the last minute, which has become typical for NBA players to do once the ticket sales are secure. Load management, the proliferation of threes, lack of physicality and other things have made NBA fans very unhappy.
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The NHL got credit for how its All-Star festivities were meaningful and the players performed like they cared. Subban, a veteran of 13 seasons, was vocal in pointing out the difference between the NBA All-Star tourney and the NHL’s on “First Take” on Thursday and Friday, following Canada’s win over the United States.
“And I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter how much money you’re making when you do not show up to play. You’re letting your teammates down,” Subban said. “When you do not show up to play, you’re letting the fans down, that is paying you 40, 50, 60 million … These people in here are paying $2,500 a ticket, five grand. … If you don’t get your head wrapped around that, you shouldn’t be in pro sports.”
Most of the blame for the public beating the NBA has been taking following another lackluster All-star weekend that the league tried to mask with celebrity appearances and extra fluff, is falling on the superstar veterans of the game, and the emerging stars.
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Guys who are making $30 million to $60 million per season and have seemed to forget their success has come on the backs of Bill Russell, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and the like. Guys who sacrificed everything physically and mentally to make the game a worldwide attraction and multi-billion-dollar industry.
NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins had a strong opinion on this.
“I hear all the old school guys and guys that came before us call our league soft,” Kendrick Perkins said. “Not from a physical standpoint but from a mental standpoint. Guys today are softer than funeral home music. It’s starting to get beyond disrespectful not only to the fan base but to the guys who paved the way for guys today to be getting paid. … Those guys were available and showed up to work and paved the way for guys to be getting top dollar.”
“These guys today.” Perkins continued, “and the organization, to a standpoint, are doing a disservice to the next generation.”
Perkins said in the next collective bargaining agreement the owners are going to come up with a “Ben Simmons or James Harden or Kyrie Irving rule,” basically calling out the players who have contributed to this low point in NBA history, not with their play but their lack of dedication in certain situations.
Subban Says NBA Needs Leadership Like Legend Sidney Crosby, Stephen A. Smith Blames NBA Players
Subban says the NHL doesn’t have that problem because its ambassadors; guys like 37-year-old Sidney Crosby, whose leadership and locker room presence was pivotal in Team Canada’s victory at the 4 Nations Face-Off, ensure that the next generation respects the game properly and always gives effort.
“I think he should be in the top three NHL players of all-time, but we have one of the best leaders in pro sports,” Subban extolled. “It starts with the guys who have been doing it. Sydney Crosby has carved a path that we can only dream of for the next generation.”
Stephen A. Smith agreed with Suppan, who said NBA improvement has to be a collective effort by the players and the league, but he disagreed that the league is doing anything wrong. If anything, it has catered to the players to its detriment.
“This is the indictment. Show up and give the same effort you give when you’re working out in the summer,” Smith said, referencing the lack of effort that was evident in the NBA All-Star game’s new four-team tournament format.
“There is no excuse for you to be seen on video playing harder while you’re simply working out in the Summer League than you do during All-Star Weekend,” Smith insisted. “There’s no excuse for that. You can’t look in any other direction than the players.”
PK Subban Says NHL Players Always Give Max Effort: NBA Players Extend Careers Through Load Management
Subban started a mini firestorm and battle of the sports when he chastised NBA players for their All-star performance and overall lackluster effort in regular season games, as well as how stars have taken advantage of load management. It’s all led to disinterest by the fans.
“They make the most money. You are an example. You got to show up. You gotta take that on. I’m sick and tired of making athletes greats, all-time greats, that aren’t the best examples. Those are the people that we want our kids to follow,” Subban said.
“Here’s the thing, because you’re making 100, 200, 300 million, you should be out there banged up. You should be. That’s why we pay you, is to max out”
This is where the signals get crossed. It’s clear that NBA players have learned to turn the tables in their favor more than most other sports, as far as getting bang for their buck. Today’s stars have figured out how to keep getting huge bags and extending their careers. Load management allows players to take games off and sit significant time due to injuries while still getting paid. Instead of playing through certain ailments they would rather not do anything to jeopardize their next contract. That mentality rubs off on the next generation of stars ushered in.
Whereas the owners are thinking that they are paying the players all of this money for them to go hard until their body breaks down. But now we have guys hanging on for 15-20 years who are shells of their former selves.
The lack of defensive intensity and physicality while moving towards a more Euro-centric basketball culture also plays into enabling that longevity and productivity in one’s later years. It’s a chess game, and now the owners are trying to reset the board. Fans see what’s going on, and Subban was pointing out a known fact. You can’t fake it in hockey like you can in the NBA.
