THE CROSS UP – WHO’S GOT NEXT 

The horizon looks bleak for the NBA The NBA is at a watershed moment

Indoor floodlit basketball arena full of spectators - full 3D

Indoor floodlit basketball arena full of spectators - full 3D

The horizon looks bleak for the NBA

  • By: Eric Lambkins II

The NBA is at a watershed moment. The once-fevered following surrounding the league has waned, and ratings have dropped 48%. This begs the question: Can the NBA be saved, and by whom?

The game has devolved into a frenetic track meet, an endless bombardment of three-pointers, and an infinite waltz of dribbling and step-back shots. The days when superstars like Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, whose magnetic personalities and varied skill sets captivated the world, are now distant and foreign. Every game is Groundhog Day–an endless loop dominated by repetition—three-point attempts or points in the paint; the midrange game and scoring with your back to the basket has become a foreign concept.

The NBA’s reliance on the three is both practical and effective. 

Statistically, it makes sense. The reward of gaining an extra point per possession is logical. However, such heavy reliance has made the game predictable and stale. It is simply unwatchable. The NBA needs a player or team that embodies the unexpected—someone or a team with the ability to break the mold, disrupt the rhythm, and rekindle the raw passion and excitement that once defined the league. The league desperately needs someone who inspires narratives and children to dream.

But who? Who has the shoulders or gravitas to illicit the patronage of a generation with a gnat’s attention span?

In this era, the NBA needs a player whose game turns heads and a presence — a charisma that pulls people back into the fold. You need someone who makes the audience sit up and changes the conversation. The NBA needs must-see television.

Nikola Jokić, for instance, is as skilled as any player in the league right now, but let’s be honest — his quiet demeanor and introverted nature don’t exactly scream global sensation. He’s not one to inject a sense of drama or allure into the league; his magic happens in the shadows of the efficacy of the sheet; it doesn’t demand the spotlight.

Then there’s Victor Wembanyama. At 7-foot-4, the French unicorn has the grace of a ballerina talk and undeniable generational talent. But he’s still finding his place. The narratives surrounding him are still in flux. Is he too skinny to withstand the rigors of the NBA? Will he stay healthy? And what about his personality? As of now, we have not garnered enough to know him yet. Is he capable of growing into his role as the league’s next megastar, or will the weight of those expectations stifle him? 

Then there’s Anthony Edwards, the league’s most intriguing megastar candidate. He’s got the game — explosive, fast, and charismatic. He’s got the personality — brash, real, a bit of swagger, and something that could reach the masses. But, like most NBA stars, he’s yet to win anything significant. In a league built on legacies and rings, it’s hard to be the guy when you haven’t proven it when it counts. His story is still being written, and the question remains: can he translate that raw potential into championship success and ultimately into saving the game?

Teams, too, can make a difference. In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is building something special with the Thunder. His skill set is beautiful to watch — fluid, confident, and entirely in control. The team is playing a brand of basketball that excites with its unpredictability and creativity. Then there’s Cleveland, with the Cavaliers, who have a similarly electrifying young core in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland. But here’s the catch: neither of these teams can break through to the national consciousness because of their small-market status. No matter how dynamic their play or electrifying their talent, they’re not in the glamorous media capitals that define the NBA’s global reach. 

Fans long for someone who can embody the spirit of the game: the flash, the flair, the personality that draws people in and refuses to let go. We’ve had players like LeBron James, who could stir up national conversation with a single tweet, and players like Kobe Bryant, whose intensity and artistry filled arenas and transcended the sport. They weren’t just athletes; they were cultural icons. The NBA is at a flashpoint where it must again redefine itself.

There’s a need for something new—someone who mixes flair with substance, a player who isn’t just great on the court but is larger-than-life off it. It’s not just about highlight reels anymore. It’s about presence, the ability to get people to believe in the game again, to get them to tune in, to make them feel something — to, once again, fall in love with the NBA.

The question remains: Who will that be? Who can pull the NBA out of the abyss and into a new era where the excitement matches the moments on the court? We’re waiting and hoping for someone to answer that call, and the horizon looks bleak.

Can a resurgent Ja Morant bring back the sparkto the NBA?

  • By: Myell Mathieu

The NBA is in a weird spot at this moment. The ratings and viewership are down, and the excitement for the league doesn’t feel the same.  

With the careers of Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and LeBron James coming to an end soon, it’s time for the NBA to embrace their young stars. The NBA must understand that excitement is needed to uplift the game many love. 

The league should capitalize on its star power while allowing new faces to emerge as the future of the game. There is one man who I truly believe can elevate the game back to its peak power!  

We call him Ja Morant! 

That’s right! Not Wemby, Anthony Edwards, Giannis, or either member of the Boston Celtics duo.  Morant’s appeal on the court fits the mold of what a new face of the league should look like. 

He is one of the most exciting players to watch in the sport, and if he can get back to his peak and make the Memphis Grizzlies a winner, he has a chance to be the top guy. 

He is averaging 21.3 points, 7.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game after playing only nine games last season due to injury. 

After the team struggled mightily last season, Morant has Memphis sitting in the third spot in the Western Conference standings at the mid-point of the season.  His energy and presence completely changes everything for the Grizzlies. 

The former Murray State guard has been a staple on SportsCenter’s top 10 throughout the year, most recently due to his dunk over Wemby, which didn’t even count. He plays a brand of basketball that every basketball fan loves.

The Grizzlies star’s actions off the court have troubled him. We all know about everything that has occurred in the past, but that’s not important now. Morant has stayed out of the news and has completely locked into his hoop career. 

He recently debuted his new shoes, the Nike Ja 2, and continues to be one of the NBA’s biggest names. 

High-flying moves from guys like Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James always brought attention to the NBA. Of course, we all love the three-point shot and stepbacks from the likes of Curry and James Harden, but what always made the NBA stand out was aerial assault by its most talented player(s). 

That’s why Morant and even Edwards are two names that are discussed when it comes to who’s next to push the league forward. 

It feels as if Morant has done so much, and he is only 25 years old. If he can get back to himself completely and consistently place himself in MVP  conversations, you will be looking at a guy the NBA has to fully embrace as the most exciting American-born player in the NBA, and that’s what will bring a true spark back to a league that’s in need of a jolt.

The NBA’s Real Three-Point Problem: Why the League Needs a New Game Plan

  • By: Jackie Rae

I will argue with Erik when he says, “The NBA’s reliance on the three is both practical and effective.” As far as completion percentage, shots inside the paint are far more effective. The three-point shot has essentially dumbed the league down to a running tennis match and, quite frankly, made it boring. 

Not to mention, it can be the difference between winning and losing the game. Reducing the number of shots beyond the arch, even slightly, can mean the difference between winning and losing in close games.

Let’s take a recent game between the Detroit Pistons and the Houston Rockets. The Rockets lost that game by 11 points. They went 11 of 39 from three and 37 of 94 inside. This is not the best shooting. However, if they take 10 more shots inside and make 7 of them, which is possible since they were shooting 40% inside the paint, they will likely win that game. 

The three-point shot is great as long as you are not afraid to abandon it when it goes cold. Yes, it gives some fanfare to the game. But let’s be honest: unless it is a buzzer-beater, people are going to talk about Ja Morant dunking over Victor Wembanyama far more than they will talk about Steph Curry hitting the game-winning three.

I agree with Mykell that Ja can and should elevate the league. However, he wasted valuable time that he could have spent building the fan base by focusing on shenanigans instead of the business of basketball. 

In truth, the league needs two things to increase viewership. First, the days of one-and-done in college have to be over. While it might sting to admit the WNBA is doing some things better, the increase in fandom in the WNBA can directly be tied to fans following their favorite player from college to the pros. 

The Angle Reese and Caitlin Clark era highlighted this trend, however, the numbers proved the W needed to invest in cultivating that fandom between the NCAA and the league. The NBA needs to do the same. 

The second thing the NBA needs is more owners like Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishiba. He has not only introduced the $2 value meal, making a trip to Footprint area more affordable for families, but he is also making it easier for fans to be great fans.

Within the first two months of buying the team, Ishbia revealed that all Suns games would air—for free—on local television stations. Since putting the fans first, every single game has been sold out. And 2.8 million households watch local games, which is more than triple the amount they were reaching with the cable deal.

Yes, this initially resulted in the team losing money. But in the long term, the increase in food sales, merchandise, and tickets will more than makeup for that.

This is what the league needs. College players who stay in school for at least two years, easy access to watch local games, and an affordable fan experience. 

And stop relying on the three-point shot. 

In this Article

Basketball Ja Morant Kevin Durant Kobe Bryant LeBron James NBA Steph Curry
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