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| "It's either all or nothing because it ain't nothing to do in OKC!" |
This isn’t little league ball where everybody has a fighting chance at winning the title or where every kid gets a trophy at the end of the season. It’s like it was when I was a kid and only the very best kids got a trophy after winning the championship. They would also give an MVP award too. They didn’t care about some kid getting his feelings hurt because he didn’t get a trophy. Only the best and those blessed with the genetics to be the best stood on top. That's just the way it was.
Well the NBA is set up the same way bruh. Only the teams blessed to be in the right geographical location or those that are blessed to have multiple superstars have a legitimate shot at winning the title at any time. What I mean by that is this, only the teams that are in markets that are attractive to superstar players have a shot at winning an NBA title; or you have to be the only market that was ever lucky enough to have multiple superstars that never cared about stardom or getting it in. There is a reason why Los Angeles and Boston have won more than 50% of all of the NBA titles. They are the two best run organizations in the league and it doesn't hurt that superstars and the best coaches want to work in those cities.
It’s easy to lure great talent to major markets because they have something to offer the young urban millionaire athlete. San Antonio was the only other place that was ever lucky enough to draft two superstars that could care less about the lime light or the party, David Robinson (1st overall '87) "The Admiral" and Tim Duncan(1st overall '97) "Mr. Fundamental." They were just different types of cats. They were cool playing in a small low key city which isn't normal for a young baller. David went to the Naval Academy and Tim was from the U.S. Virgin Islands. So they were wired differently from jump.
Most young black athletes with money to burn want to be where the action is bruh! So believe me, when Tim Duncan's career is over in San Antonio they'll probably never win another title because they don't make guys like him or "The Admiral" very often. That's why they call guys superstars because they've got flavor and a brand to some degree. Don't even try to tell me that Derrick Rose is a humble guy and he wouldn't care where he played either. He's from the south side of the Chicago bruh! He may not do a whole lot of yappin' but he wants to get it in too! Kids from urban America are wired differently and they want to be where the action is.
Unfortunately, a place like Indiana has nothing to offer a superstar free agent. That’s why you’ll never see players like LeBron, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant or Carmelo playing for the Pacers. The Thunder better make the best out of the Westbrook/ Durant(2nd overall pick 2007) combo while they can because those cats aren’t going waste their careers in Oklahoma City for very long either. Have you ever been to OKC? Let's just say this bruh, they were only playing rap music on the radio on Sunday afternoons just twelve years ago! I now because I've got season tickets at OU and the first thing I ask when I pick up my rental at the airport is "What's the hip hop station?" It's just been recently that they've got a station that plays rap music exclusively.
I know that the Indiana faithful is going to be upset with “Ya Boy” for saying this but Ima keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes first and that goes for the crib too bruh! The Pacers are a good solid team that finished 3rd in the East that gave Miami in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Unfortunately, they're never bad enough to get a very high first round draft pick like they did when they were lucky enough to get Reggie Miller(11th overall). So they’ll always pick in the middle or late in the first round and that doesn’t get you a potential superstar like Kentucky's Anthony Davis etc.
Middle of the road picks typically get you middle of the road talent. Middle of the road talent can typically get you into the playoffs and maybe win you a series every now and then. That's about it. It also gets you a half empty arena every night too. The Pacers played a close out game against the Magic in the 1st round and the joint wasn't even sold out bruh! They are the 2nd worst team in the league in attendance because there are no superstars playing that people want to see. Keeping it real, they are the worst because the Nets are moving so their fan base bailed on them this season and understandably so. The only time the joint is sold out is when LA, Boston and Miami come to town and those folks are cheering for the other team. Sorry, Reggie Miller has left the building wearing Elvis' cape.
Cats aren’t going to continue to waste their careers in cities that can’t produce championships anymore more. We saw guys like Barkley, Malone and Gary Payton start to wise up towards the end of their careers. "The Glove" was fortunate enough to win a championship with Miami on his way out but the others fell short of begging and never won one.
LeBron was the smartest of them all and decided that he wasn’t going to waste his career in Cleveland like Reggie in Indiana or like Ewing did in New York. New York has no excuses, they should have at least 5 or 6 titles by now because it’s the largest media market in the world and offers one of the best night life’s on the planet. Who wouldn’t want to play in the Big Apple? The problem with New York is that they have a TERRIBLE front office. No titles since '73 with all of the talent they've had over the years? That's a completely different talk show though.
Hey it's simple, young rich urban cats want to play in Boston, LA, Chicago, Miami, Dallas, New York etc. Atlanta is a place where all of the young rich cats want to be but the Hawks are terribly run too. So a lot of cats just live there in the off-season. Nobody wants to play in cities like Cleveland, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Minneapolis or places similar to those. Hey cats aren't even going to Detroit anymore. That place is a ghost town so you can hang up any hopes of winning titles there anymore unless there is a renaissance.
Hey lets keep it real, Jim Brown was probably the greatest running back of all time and he just quit and moved to LA to do movies in the late '60's. So I'm just prepping all of my Cleveland fans now. Tyrie Irving(1st overall in 2011) is not going to sign an extension after his initial 3 year deal expires. Everybody wants to win and party bruh believe that and you can put that on ya momma! So like I said earlier, the only teams that ever have a shot at winning are those that have multiple superstars that will typically play in major markets.
San Antonio's been lucky to have Duncan and OKC is holding on by their chinny chin chin with Durant and Westbrook for now. If these young boyz can win a title early in their careers with OKC they might stick around but if not they'll be packing their bags heading for the big city lights too when those contracts expire! Fortunately for OKC they're in the Finals now and still have a shot at winning a title. So that gives them some wiggle room for now. Even if they win the joint they'll probably have to drive to Dallas to celebrate the victory! SMH!
Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport
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