The Transition: Out with the old, in with the new

“Of course there is always resistance, always a drag on movement toward better things. The dead hand of the past clutches us by way of living people who are too frightened to accept change.”

― Kim Stanley Robinson, The Ministry for the Future

I’m old.

While young-minded, occasionally spry and still perfectly capable at my job, I’m also aware of my limitations.  In my chosen profession, I can still tend bar with the rest of them, dare I say better than most.  But ultimately, my time will come.

Tending bar is not entirely dissimilar to basketball: court vision, team leadership, constant movement while keenly aware of one’s surroundings, the need to stay in shape and wear comfortable shoes of the utmost importance, its physically exhausting nature eventually forcing one into retirement.

Don’t worry, kids.  I’m not there yet.

That said, it’ll be strange no longer see an aging LeBron James in these playoffs, despite the ever-growing number of fans that have grown tired of him, present company excluded.  Be that as it may, the game’s all-time leading scorer, playoff scorer, minutes leader and twenty-year-old face of the league is now at home sipping merlot and wondering what his future holds.

Meanwhile, his heir apparent who only games ago, both physically and literally, pushed and shoved LeBron into a suggested retirement awaits his throne, one he may appoint to himself whether we like it or not.  I just hope America is ready for Anthony Edwards walking around your town talking about how big his dick is.

To add to the elderly abuse that’s taking place in today’s Association, immediately after breaking down LeBron’s post-season departure, Inside the NBA broadcast a picture of Stephen Curry’s mangled shooting hand with analyst Charles Barkley wondering aloud “Is that his real thumb?!?”

Kevin Durant, the other elder statesmen often mentioned in the same breath as LeBron and Curry, didn’t even make the playoffs, his future also uncertain, his end also near.

Like the old dude who hangs out in the bar too late looking for companionship, there are a handful of other veterans still wandering around at last call, an aging James Harden and Kawhi Leonard also face elimination.

You know who’s left in these NBA Playoffs?

Jayson Tatum, 27.

Jalen Brunson, 28.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 26.

Donovan Mitchell, 28.

Tyrese Haliburton, 25.

And oh yeah, Anthony Edwards at a ripe old, shit-talking age of 23.

Prior to ousting LeBron and that other talent Dallas alleged was too fat, Edwards openly taunted L.A, proclaiming this was now a young man’s game.  Not too many have exhibited that sort of bravado before bouncing a legend from his home floor.

But Edwards was right.

The question remains, are we ready for it, for what we have seen this post-season is an undeniable changing of the guards.

NBA nerds like me will rave about the sport no matter what, like those Saturday Night Live fans who claim the show is still as good as it was fifty years ago, which it is.  It’s those fringe fans that the NBA is after, that younger generation of kids that buy crypto, have no idea what life was like before the internet, drink boba tea, ride motor scooters, and do whatever else young people do these days.  Can the NBA turn those people into fans and, more importantly, can the stars build upon their appeal the way the old heads did me and my merry collective of old school NBA scholars.

I have a friend who raves about Julius Erving.  Mind you.  I’m fifteen years his senior and I barely saw Dr. J play so I have no effective basis for comparison, however, my friend insists on engaging me in conversation comparing players across generations. While a fruitless and time-consuming exercise, what I can say with utmost certainty is that if you built a time machine and transported Anthony Edwards back to the 1970s NBA, most fans would stare mouths agape as he routinely scored 50 a game.  Heck, he’s pretty much doing that now.

So back to the question at hand.

With LeBron, Curry, KD and those in their age bracket staring an impending retirement in the face while the new breed takes the league by storm, will this transition translate into ratings?

Prior to these playoffs, many discussed how a Warriors (Curry)-Lakers (LeBron) Western Conference semi-finals would tilt the meter.  These speculations were not without merit as the last, most-watched NBA Finals featured those two players going head-to-head.  That will no longer happen but whatever the reason, these NBA Playoffs have seen substantially elevated ratings which suggest that maybe those viewing welcome the change.

With LeBron out, we shall see. 

I hear plenty of griping about King James.  Even though what he’s doing at his age is unprecedented, perhaps he overstayed his welcome,

I’m old enough to remember when Jordan retired.  Twice.  Wait, I think it was three times.   The league was legit concerned.  After all he’d done, the marketing, the rings, the tongue wag, the bold swag, the gold chains, how could anyone ever fill those shoes or sell them at his bewildering pace?

But as we learn in the service industry, nobody is bigger than the bar, not even the G.O.A.T.S.  No matter how much we long to rank and compare, along came Kobe and Shaq and Duncan and LeBron and others we want to stuff into our personal top ten list that has become a little crowded.

Trust me. In fifteen or so years, depending upon how many championship rings and MVP trophies they each win, we will try to stuff this new breed into an even more crowded room of greats.

As long as we’re all still doing that, my generation and the next, then I suppose the game is in good hands after all.