Basketball Everyday

Did I miss something?  When did basketball become the American version of European soccer?  Is there something in ESPN's NBA contract that requires them to have some sort of basketball game on 365 days a year?  Because that's literally the only reason I can think of why a new ridiculous summer basketball tournament pops up every week...and ESPN treats each one like it's the freakin' NCAA Tournament!

Now, I know a lot of you are probably thinking this, so I'll get it out of the way up front.  This has nothing to do with my not liking the NBA.  I enjoy the sport of basketball.  I just don't need to watch it 12 months a year.  Especially when it's not even good basketball.

And is there really so little on in the summer that ESPN needs to cover the NBA Summer League like it's the actual regular season (which is only slightly less meaningless than the Summer League)?  Seriously, why am I seeing NBA Summer League scores on the freakin' ticker before baseball scores?!  Why am I seeing basketball scores at all in the middle of July?  Unless it's some sort of international FIBA tournament, any basketball game played during the summer is, frankly, pretty irrelevant.  And anybody who doesn't think that is simply fooling themselves.

Let's start with the NBA Summer League.  Why does ESPN care so much?  It's essentially the NFL preseason, except worse, because the starters aren't even there.  It's literally the guys they just drafted like a week before, some unsigned free agents, and a bunch of players "trying out" who are only there because they need to fill out their rosters.  You're basically watching the NBA D-League.  Yet ESPN would have you believe these are make-or-break games.  Why else did we get those constant Lonzo Ball updates?

The NBA Summer League at least has a legitimate purpose.  It's the first opportunity coaches have to work with their rookies, and it gives the rookies their first real taste of the NBA game, even if it is the Bud Light version.  It's like OTAs in the NFL.  Except you know the difference between OTAs and the NBA Summer League?  The NFL knows no one wants to watch OTAs, so they don't put them on TV!

However, I haven't found an actual purpose for either The Basketball Tournament or that new Allen Iverson 3x3 thing.  The Basketball Tournament especially.  As far as I can tell, the sole reason that thing exists is to give an extra 15 minutes to former college players who couldn't let go and move on with their lives.  It's their chance to prove that they're still "basketball players."  It's their NBA.

It's an ego thing.  Nothing more.  And the fact that it's on ESPN only exacerbates the problem.  Now you're getting those 15 minutes on a national stage.  And, who knows, maybe an NBA scout will be watching, see you can still play, and offer you a shot.  That scenario, of course, is highly unlikely.  But I have no doubt there are guys playing in these tournaments who think that.

"Basketball players" can be found everywhere.  How many people out there have absolutely no talent, but think they can play in the NBA?  Well dude, I've got news for you.  You might be a star in those pickup games in the park against 40-year-olds, but if you've never played competitively at any level (or you were "on the team," but just sat on the bench), you're not going to the NBA!

ESPN isn't helping these people in any way.  In fact, they're only making things worse by giving them this avenue to "show off" their talents.  Just like it's not helping the former pros or former college players who are desperately trying to stay relevant (or become relevant again).

I could be wrong.  People might actually watch these games, and I bet there are even people who actually care.  The ratings could justify their existence and explain why we have a new tournament every week.  I also have no idea what the attendance at these things is.  Maybe I'm totally off base and there's a large enough percentage of the population that these events actually make money.

But there's no denying ESPN is trying too hard to make these events a "thing."  We've long known that ESPN is obsessed with the NBA, but maybe it's just basketball in general that our friends in Bristol are obsessed with.  That's the only explanation I can think of as to why they're trying to give America a year-round sport, whether it wants one or not.