Probably more than any other league the star players in the NBA move from team to team. Especially in the years since “The Decision” star players have become friends that want to play together rather than competitors that want to win on their own. For the major markets or cities with off-court appeal this is a dream scenario. For the rest of the league this is a nightmare. The times now might be changing. The era of the player organized super team may be done.
Sure there’s still teams like the Lakers who are adding powerhouse names to their roster left and right in free agency. But the fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo decided to stay in Milwaukee might have been the first domino to fall causing this trend to end. Giannis deciding to stay in Milwaukee, the team that drafted him, a small market team, then immediately winning the NBA Championship is showing young players that you don’t need to join a super team to reach the pinnacle of the game.
We’ve got to remember that NBA players, more than any other league, are young – very young. Most of the rising stars wouldn’t remember a time before LeBron fled Cleveland for Miami with “The Decision”. The super team is the only way they know championships are won. Sure the Golden State Warriors won mostly by assembling the core of their team through the draft. But even they added Andre Iguodala – an Olympian and perennial All Star before they won their first Championship. Then they went and added Kevin Durant to continue their championship ways. Giannis led the way to buck (no pun intended) this trend.
This week though, it became clear that young players aren’t trying to join established super teams. Once Luca Doncic decided to resign in Dallas, it became clear that these young players want to carve their own path to success. Maybe this is an international player trend, both Giannis and Luca are European exports. And sure Dallas isn’t a small market like Milwaukee. It’s not a destination city like Miami either though. It doesn’t have the basketball history like Boston or LA either. It still might be the start of a new era in the NBA though.
These two superstars deciding to stay put though does go to show that when an entire city buys in to these players that makes a huge difference. I was driving through Dallas the other week and saw a billboard for the Mavericks. The billboard didn’t emphasize the team. It simply showed number 77 three times – it’s all about Luca. Luca is the team. I think that’s something that appeals to any young superstar – they don’t want to share the spotlight. They want to be the focus, even if it mostly is in their own city.
To me this is a great trend. It is generating more interest in the NBA than I’ve had in years. For whatever reason the league seems to think that the heyday of the 80s and 90s with only a team or two as the focus is the way to build their brand. I think that’s a terrible way to build a national, and international brand. I much prefer the parity that the NFL has created in their sport. Now that Giannis and Luca have decided to stay put and build something rather than join something I’m more interested in the NBA than I have been in years. I hope it’s a trend that continues, and that the era of one or two super teams is done. It was great to see two teams go for their first championship since in 40+ years. The fact that two of the top stars are staying with the team that drafted them is enough for me to declare “The Decision” era over. And I’m looking forward to the future if this trend continues.