 |
| Bringing the House illustration |
NBA: No Bidders in America
The first reason why Iverson gobbled up Besiktas' offer is because NBA teams gave up on him. After a little more than ten great years in Philly, Iverson moved on to Denver, where he made valuable contributions for three seasons. Then, after the 2008-2009 season began, Iverson was shipped from Denver to Detroit for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess (Side note: I remember being absolutely shocked when Detroit traded Billups. He was a staple of the Pistons championship-winning and contending teams with Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and the two Wallaces. He was probably the most important element of that team. Denver knew that and after acquiring him has yet to miss the playoffs).
Iverson's career took a dive after this deal. Detroit's roster was filled with younger guards and it was clear that the team was in a rebuilding process. Additionally, Iverson and the offensive scheme did not mesh well. But it became apparent that Iverson was on his way out when his diminished minutes eventually led to no minutes at all as a result of a season-ending back injury. The Pistons cut Iverson at the end of the season, and the Memphis Grizzlies picked him up. The Grizzlies-Iverson marriage lasted only three days as the two parties mutually severed their agreement; Iverson cited "personal matters" as the reason for his leave from basketball. And finally, the 76ers, the team that Iverson starred on for over a decade, gave him one last going-out party. We all knew it would not last long, but it was nice to see A.I. in that uniform again. To summarize, multiple teams hopped in and gave The Answer a chance. But, in the end, Iverson was an aging superstar that had durability and injury concerns, a me-first mentality on offense, and plenty of attitude issues (practice, anyone?).
With no suitors in the NBA and in America, it just made sense for Iverson to take his talents to South
A Global Sport
Do not let the media's over-coverage of the World Cup every four years trick you into thinking that soccer is clear and away the most popular sport in the world. Sure, kids in grass fields in third world countries can and do kick the ball around quite often, but let it be known that where there is a basketball court, there is a pickup game. They hoop in Turkey, they hoop in China, they hoop in Spain…I could go on all day. The sport of basketball has no borders and it is for this reason that Iverson and other stars will get the opportunity to play overseas after their NBA careers have ended.
The basketball scene abroad is thriving and supported by players that diehard basketball fans will easily recognize. It's not like these European teams throw out five schmucks and call them a team; these teams have good talent. Some of that talent comes from legitimate college basketball programs in the United States, some of it from the pipelines of local European playgrounds. Take Besiktas, Iverson's new team. Prior to Iverson joining the club, you probably had never heard of Besiktas. But here are some of the players that have played for Besiktas in the past: Lonny Baxter, Khalid El-Amin, Preston Shumpert, Andrew Ogilvy, Mario Austin, and Predrag Drobnjak. The aforementioned list contains players with NBA experience, players that won an NCAA championship, and players with conference player of the year accolades. The popularity of basketball overseas propels club owners to get top talent, and although European basketball may never come close to matching the overall quality of American basketball, the scene is no joke. It should come as no surprise that an American star would jump ship and welcome the change of scenery.
No Matter the Country, Money is Money
Iverson signed a contract that will pay him $4 million over the next two years. I don't care if he gets paid in the Turkish lira, the U.S. dollar, the Mexican peso, the Japanese yen, or even Monopoly money…that's big money. Whether or not the remaining skills of these past-their-prime basketball stars warrant such large contracts from foreign clubs is irrelevant. The fact is that they will inevitably get paid. And if you're a former NBA star who is accustomed to living a certain lifestyle--who occasionally likes to "make it rain"--then how could you turn down such dumb money? Sure, Besiktas brought Iverson in to help them win its first Turkish league championship since 1975. But I can assure you that even if Besiktas does not win the title, its owner will be content so long as Iverson draws big crowds and sells apparel, two things that The Answer has done very well throughout his NBA career. And when other clubs see how much of a cash cow American players can be in Europe and Asia, the bidding wars will reach a whole new level.
Me, Inc.
Perhaps the biggest incentive for any NBA star to cross the Atlantic and suit up for a European or Asian team is that it provides him an opportunity to grow his brand/image. The sort of iconic fame that a global sports star has the potential to reach cannot be quantified in currency; it just is. You know it when you see it. Think Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, and Pele. Sorry, LeBron, despite how much you want it, you just are not there yet.
We have already seen numerous reports of how successful NBA jerseys sell in places like China. But imagine how much more popular a player would be if fans could actually see him play in person instead of watching him through the television? Imagine how fans would worship that player if he signed autographs before his shoot-around. Imagine if he promoted his new shoe at a local shoe store in Madrid or Shanghai. Going international is the smartest and fastest way for any American sports star to expand his influence, and I cannot imagine people turning that down. To put this type of move into perspective, do you remember how much attention David Beckham's move to Major League Soccer gained? How much more attention do you think that move would have attracted had soccer been a top-two sport in this country? It would have been insane. Well, that's exactly what it will be like each time an NBA star signs a contract with a foreign team and flies over to play ball on their soil.
Told You So
The final reason (of the big ones) for an NBA star, like Iverson, to sign with a European or Asian basketball team is to prove a point about his basketball abilities. Iverson feels, with the utmost of sincerity, that he has plenty left in his tank. He thinks that NBA teams have too quickly written him off and have made a huge mistake. He thinks he can still make valuable contributions on the court and help a team win games. Well, there is no better way to showcase his supposed abilities than to play with some decent competition for all of the world to see. I doubt it will happen, but let's say Iverson opens his career in Turkey and averages 30 points per game over his first two weeks. Don't you think that will open some eyes in the United States? I understand that Iverson is a special case because of his character and past, but just imagine it was a guy whose attitude was never criticized. I think he'd have a job offer from one or two teams at the very least.
You have to remember that NBA stars are alpha males. These guys have big egos--that's the only way they have made it this far; they want to be the one who dribbles the most, shoots the most, scores the most, gets the most money, gets the most fame, etc. And the second that someone questions their ability to do something or to do something at a high level, their natural instinct will be to step up to the challenge and try to prove that doubter wrong. Look at Kobe. Everyone thought Kobe could not win a championship without Shaq at his side. What does Kobe do? Wins back-to-back titles (and looks as though he is on his way to a third). These guys want to stick it to their haters. And if it means taking some extra cash, living like a rock star in a beautiful foreign country with foreign women, and playing ball with "Besiktas" emblazoned across their chest, then so be it. At least it'll shut you--the media, owners, fans, even fellow players--up.
No comments:
Post a Comment