NBA On The Same Road As The NFL, Just A Different Direction

As the NFL finally takes the final junction off the lockout freeway, it appears that the traffic the NBA is enduring is not letting up anytime soon.

Since the start of July 1st 2011, the NBA has shut down its operation and players cannot have any contact with ownership or coaches. The talks to revive hopes of creating a new collective bargaining agreement have since dissipated into silence as both sides have no interest in resolving their issues in the near future.

On the other side of the spectrum, an agreement was finally reached after over 130 days went by since the NFL locked out its players. Realizing that the 2011 season could be lost if they didn’t work out their differences, both the player’s union and owners decided to bury the hatchet on squabbles and bring the public what they want: playing actual football this season.

Although the NFL was able to work out their differences during the longest lockout in the league’s history, a vision of compromise by both sides to end the lockout for professional basketball in America is much hazier at the moment.

The reasoning behind this issue is more understandable when looking from the perspective of the NBA players; they have multiple outlets to which they can produce an income and play basketball.

When it comes to visibility and popularity in sports on a global level, the guys that run on hardwood courts in shorts are bigger phenomenons than their helmet wearing, pigskin-playing athletic cohorts.

Football, arguably, is the most popular sport in America, but it is practically an unknown in discussions outside of U.S. soil. Americans undoubtedly know who Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adrian Peterson are; but putting a name to a face would be like playing a game of “Guess Who” for anyone outside of the country.

The NBA, on the other hand, have standouts that are rock stars in other continents around the world. That is evident with the recent tournament held out in the Philippines, with the notable attractions being Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and Chris Paul. The event was a huge success, with the players bringing out huge crowds in a country they rarely, if ever, play in.

While the NFL has gone overseas (London) and south of the border (Mexico) to play various games during their regular season, the idea of seeing Manning and Peterson heading anywhere outside of the U.S. to play a tournament or a setup game is pointless because the appeal of their sport doesn’t cross over like the NBA’s does. Not only do mass quantities of players head from their native countries to play pro basketball in America, but Americans go to those same countries and play before foreign fans as well.

With this option in their back pocket, NBA players have alternatives that will allow them escape plans if the lockout continues to extend into the coming months. If the fans of the league want to watch their favorite players they are so fond of, they will most likely have to acquire international cable outlets to get a gander.

Deron Williams is already heading out to Turkey to play since the league appears nowhere near coming to a conclusion on their problems. Bryant appears to be pondering the notion of joining the Nets’ point guard and may ultimately sign on in the near future. Carmelo Anthony and Paul are also considering playing in China as their options during the lockout.

Others might even swap sports as a means of dealing with the break they get during this trying time.

Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love will be losing his basketball shoes and running barefoot atop millions of grains of sand. The former UCLA star will be heading to Manhattan for a pro volleyball tournament event in August, which may possibly lead to future events in the sport.

Now that the NFL lockout is over, another star from pro basketball is thinking about trying to see if he can get back into an activity he hasn’t gone through since college. Nate Robinson may be one of the smallest players in the league, but with a five-foot, nine-inch stature and a previous history as a two-sport stud (he played both football and basketball during his time at the University of Washington), the NFL could be his new calling if the shut down of the NBA lingers.

Given what is transpiring for the players in the NBA, they appear to be in a stronger position of shrugging off the ill-effects of not playing in their professional leagues more so than their football cohorts. The NFL and their players may have taken a lengthy period to reach an agreement, but the players understood that no other decent alternatives were available to combat the issue of trying to earn an income in another competitive football league.

All of these issues lead up to one conclusion for where the NBA lockout will be heading in the near future: stuck in neutral with no road leading to an exit.