The NBPA's inaugural Players' Awards show was "supposed to lure players to Las Vegas for Monday's union meeting and to prove the players don't have any need for the media," but just seven of the 29 coaches and players expected to attend "actually showed up," according to Tim Bontemps of the N.Y. POST. Only two "star-level players" -- Clippers G and NBPA President Chris Paul and Clippers F Paul Pierce -- "deigned to do the red carpet." Warriors G Stephen Curry and Wizards G John Wall also attended, but nominees like Pelicans C Anthony Davis, Thunder G Russell Westbrook and Bulls G Jimmy Butler "were nowhere to be seen." Things "remained rocky once the event began." Host Jay Pharoah "got big laughs with his impersonations of Drake and Stephen A. Smith," but a Bill Cosby impersonation "was edited out of the televised broadcast." There also was "confusion over the future of the show." Paul said that he "thought it could become a 'staple' on the NBA calendar," while NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts expressed "confidence it would be more than a one-year show." BET Chair & CEO Debra Lee said that there was a "three-year contract with a fourth-year option." However, Bontemps noted it was "later clarified BET had a contract with the NBPA for this year’s show -- and covered the costs for production -- and only has the right of first refusal over the next three years." This is relevant because the NBA "has announced plans to have its own end-of-year awards show on TNT once the league’s massive new television deal kicks in" for '16-17. Meanwhile, BET "did a good job booking musical guests," including Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz. It also was "impressive of the NBPA to get President Obama to deliver a heartfelt video message" for Ray Allen, who was named the union's Man of the Year (NYPOST.com, 7/22).
THE START OF SOMETHING BIG? The Denver Post's Woody Paige said he thinks the Players' Awards is "going to be a big time awards ceremony, just like the ESPYs has become." ESPN's J.A. Adande noted people "do love award shows and they do love lists," but they "don't necessarily love the awards component of awards shows." Adande: "If you watch most of the big awards shows … they've turned into vehicles to showcase performances. Unfortunately, you’re not going to have a basketball game break out in the middle of these awards shows." If the NBPA wants to "gain more prominence, they need to broadcast it live." espnW's Kate Fagan said, "I still like these awards, because I think it offers us a different perspective on the game. ... I am just not sure it's more meaningful than the media awards" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 7/22). Rockets G James Harden was named the league's MVP at the show instead of Curry, who on the writer's MVP award. ESPN's Tony Kornheiser noted players were saying these awards were "more important, more valid" than the one voted on by writers. Kornheiser: "If the players think that right now this is more important and that Harden will get the notoriety or the money that Curry will get from his MVP, they’re wrong. Right now this is like the Writers’ Guild Award compared to the Oscars (“PTI,” ESPN, 7/22).
