As the NBA regular season concluded Sunday, David Moore
of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS writes his state-of-the-game
analysis this morning under the header, "NBA's Future At
Crossroads. League's Direction Is Questioned." Moore:
"Behind the endearing memories and anecdotes that were
offered during the 1996-97 season, beneath the slick,
marketing surface, there were challenges to the league's
success. Scoring was down. The attitudes of some of the
young players were called into question. A league
supposedly loaded with talent had nine teams below .500 in
the Western Conference and the entire league breathing the
fumes of the Chicago Bulls. The very stars the league
honored during its 50th anniversary questioned the direction
of the sport. None of this means the league's success has
dwindled. But the warning signs are all around.
Commissioner David Stern must head off these potential sore
spots if the sport is to continue to flourish."
MOORE REASONS: Moore adds that today's "stars no longer
evolve. Many are created before they ever win a playoff
game." But the "rift between Generation X and some of
today's veteran stars appears to be widening," and the
"knucklehead image is one that hurts the league." NBA
Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik "acknowledges an image
problem exists. But he doesn't believe the personality of
players today is any different than those who came in 10
years ago." Granik: "It's frustrating to read that kind of
stuff when you know there are really good young players who
care about the game." Moore: "The NBA can try to
incorporate more of a sense of team when it spotlights
certain players. It can emphasize and promote those players
tied to the top teams. But in the end, the popularity of
the NBA -- like every sport -- is dependent upon the
character and success of its key players." Moore encourages
shoe companies to "only featured athletes who have shown
they can win on the pro level" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/23).
