No shame in lack of NBA success

Upon reading Kevin Justice’s letter this past Sunday regarding Gonzaga players success, or lack thereof, in the NBA, I am compelled to ask “Who cares?” and “Who watches the NBA, anyway?” Making it in the NBA should never be the barometer of a player’s talent, ability, success, or future.The basketball that is played in college and what goes on in the NBA are two different sports.

Take a poll of 100 basketball fans and I’ll wager 95 percent of them watch college hoops and less than 20 percent watch the NBA. There is a reason for that. NBA players, for the most part, are selfish and thinking contract, or contract restructuring. It’s one-on-one or one-on-five. It’s a place where a 40 percent “shooting” guard can “really fill it up,” but of course he’s taking 25 shots a game and 10 for 25 in the NBA is good stuff.

College basketball employs old-fashioned gimmicks, like passing, screening, boxing out, high-percentage shots, teamwork, and coaching. As an added attraction, the NBA has constant whiners like the Detroit Pistons, and unscheduled fights and brawls. The season drones on and on and on, and then … the playoffs! Ugh. Oh, and the NBA all-star teams we send to international competitions are getting smoked regularly. I wonder why.

Not making it in the NBA … so what? That league is stinkier than any cheese Turiaf might find in France.

Don Bartell

Coeur d’Alene