The NBA is currently going through a lockout. Of all that is not clear about the negotiations, there is one thing that is becoming lucid: The hope of having an NBA season is going down the drain as each day goes on and there is no Collective Bargaining Agreement. As a Celtics fan, it is very disappointing because it means that the Big Three will be one year older, and another chance at a championship slips away.
But as a basketball fan, the NBA lockout is promising, if not very exciting. ESPN recently aired a 24-hour day of all College Basketball to kick off the first day of prime-time games. The games concluded with Coach K’s historical 903 win and number two Kentucky’s thrashing of number 12 Kansas. This year’s Kentucky team features three studs, starting freshmen, a staple of any John Calipari-coached team.
Why is this so exciting? The NBA, beloved by most basketball fans, is in danger of losing this season and possibly the next. That means no big threes, no Tim Duncan-bank shots, and no more scratchy voices that pierce your eardrums (Stan van Gundy—cough drop, I am just saying). No more attention-loving divas (I am looking at you, LeBron) or pointless games that occur after teams are virtually eliminated from playoff contention.
But college basketball is an equal to the NBA, if not vastly superior. In North Carolina, there is a big three—Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller—but the rest of their team is not completely worthless. “Kendall Marshall is the most important player in college basketball this season,” said Jared Trexler in an article written in November. The crafty point guard is not even one of North Carolina’s superstars—yet he is instrumental to their success. And all the players know it; Harrison Barnes is not going to tell the world that ‘once the games start, it is going to be easy,’ like a certain Miami Heat player.
What true basketball fans also have are meaningful games all season. Who remembers when Tyler Hansborough had blood oozing out of his nose, and continued playing, in one of the last games of the regular season?! Last year, Virginia Commonwealth had to fight tooth and nail for every game to even get recognized by the NCAA tournament committee. When VCU got in, they made the most of their opportunity, making it all the way to the Final Four. These teams are refreshing to any college basketball fan—they are a team to root for. Besides die-hard Duke aficionados, can you name one basketball fan that did not root for the crowd-favorite, the Cinderella, Butler? In the NBA, the Sacramento Kings do not just suddenly get good; it takes years and sometimes decades.
Two years ago, Kentucky reached the Elite Eight with three freshmen that left for the NBA draft after the year. With the threat of a lockout nonexistent, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Daniel Orton were selected in the first round of the ensuing NBA draft and turned in successful rookie seasons in the NBA. Now, some of these NBA sophomores may have to find second jobs, as the NBA will not be their source of income.
However, with the threat of a lockout impending, Kentucky’s Terrence Jones stayed in college—almost a rarity for Calipari. Along with Harrison Barnes and Jared Sullinger, the sophomores are taking over the NCAA top 25 for college basketball. So what the NBA lockout is doing negatively for itself, it is also doing positive things for college basketball. Top teams are regaining their strength, and teams like Florida are continuing to create better basketball programs that have a chance to compete for the title this year.
College basketball is better than the National Basketball Association. It’s purer, more exciting, and more competitive. And although you will not be able to see Blake Griffin jumping over Kia’s to dunk a basketball, what you will see is much better—real, meaningful basketball.
