NBA Today: The increasing popularity of the league over the years
The National Basketball Association has always been and will continue to be a star-driven league. The stars have kept the league alive and relevant over the years when there were declines in ratings and popularity.
Be it the Wilt Chamberlain dominance, the Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson rivalry, Michael Jordan's greatness or LeBron James' longevity of brilliance, their storylines have dictated the direction and growth of the league. That being said, there have been very few players to hog the limelight all the time despite no lack of superstars in the league. The prime reason being the lack of parity in the league. There were hardly any discussions on who the best player was. For most of these years, there weren't many teams in line to win the title with only one or two teams legitimately in contention each year.
This year though, with all the off-season moves made, there are multiple teams expected to be competing for the title with the Los Angeles Lakers, LA Clippers, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers being the favorites. This has generated great hype and excitement among fans and the media. Added to that, it looks like all these teams are on the incline and will keep competing for the title while teams such as Brooklyn Nets and the Denver Nuggets are also in the ascension. The Golden State dynasty for all its greatness wasn't good for the league or the fans and the next few years will be a welcome sight for everyone.
Debate on the best player in the league
There is finally debate and quite a big one on who the best player in the league is. Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, regular-season MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the season's leading scorer James Harden, the deadly Kevin Durant, and the legendary LeBron James are all in the conversation. This is after leaving off players like Anthony Davis, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid who on any given night can single-handedly wreak havoc on opposition teams and decide games by themselves. The league has never seen such a pool of talent flourishing at the same time and it has worked out like a charm in terms of revenue and increased interest.
Social media presence and increased exposure
With the rise and prominence of social media and streaming services, people who are unable to watch the entire games are still getting glimpses and highlights of the best parts, be it the thunderous dunks, snazzy passes or even clutch game-winners. This keeps the viewership numbers up and fans engaged in conversations and debates, which is always good for the league.
New changes and potential restructure of the playoffs
With the disparity between the East and the West in the last couple of decades, the NBA is considering a restructure of the playoff format to ensure that the two best and deserving teams can have a shot to compete in the NBA Finals. Considering the historical significance of the structure, this is a massive change and NBA commissioner Adam Silver should be commended for it if brought into action. This would address a major flaw in the initial league setup and would incentivize teams that are in a more stacked conference with more fair and realistic early playoff matchups.
With all the changes and the new look of the NBA, it will be an exciting few years with the league looking to compete with the NFL and the MLB for becoming the country's most popular league.