June 23, 2025 • 38 mins
We’re back with Season 3, Episode 70 of Club 520, where Jeff Teague and the guys are joined by Adam Silver, who talks about his journey to becoming NBA commissioner, what NBA Draft night means to all the incoming players, fixing the NBA All-Star Game, as well as reacting to the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. #Volume #Club
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This show is a blast, it's hilarious, it's personal, and
it seems like it has no limits.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Make some noise as loud as you can for Jeff T.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Be Hen and DJ Wells, host of the Club five
twenty podcasts.
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Make some noise, Get yourself some draws, get yourself some DAWs.
There you gonna make some noise, Get some drums. Hit
him in the back, be Hen, back there in the back.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Behn.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
There you go, your.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Sir, Yo yo yo, y old fanatics, How y'all doing,
how y'all doing? What on? Yeah London, eargy? You'll know
what the time it is at this Club five twenty.
(00:51):
I'm your host, my Nemet, DJ Wells live in Fanatics,
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Speaker 3 (01:09):
How you are nasty saying?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
And what up?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Fanatics? My boy? What's up? Baby? What?
Speaker 4 (01:13):
What up?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Tapped in for show. To my right, my dog young
Nacho Young team got you what what's good?
Speaker 1 (01:18):
We got a good one today, got a good one today.
Come on man, listen man, we got a special special
guest man. We couldn't imagine that we would have digitallemen
on our platform.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
But it's a blessing. We're about to have a dope conversation.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
We happy to share this moment, which y'all we have
the one, the only, the commission. Mister Adam Silver joined
the five twenty. Makes some noise, Yes, sir, yes, sir,
go go sir.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's a pleasure. It's a pleasure. Thank you boss man. Hello, yeah,
energy energy, you love this Wow. First and foremost who
want to say thank you? We areppreciate you joining us
or how you doing.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm doing great? This is incredible. I mean, I for
the fans, this must be fantastic. Just to the whole
environment here. I mean, congratulations to Michael Rubin. I can't
believe what he's built for.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Sure, I'm sure listen, this is a blessing to have
you on this stage. Obviously, you know what I'm saying.
You got to walk across that stage. But for me
and be here. It's our Draft night moment. Baby, Yeah
I got I didn't. I didn't walk across the stage.
I didn't go to the draft, but I got a
chance to hear my name called. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Do you got a championship ring though?
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, I got a championship better than yeah, talk about it.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I snuck out of there with one.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah. Now, I wanted to ask you this question because
everybody's moment, no is their dream to get across the
NBA SA, shake your hand and hold a jersey. What
was it like for you the first time and you
got to be in that position and helps the draft
as the commissioner.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
It was, it's it's it's emotional for me. It still
is because you know, for that moment to come into
the NBA for these players and just as importantly for
their families. So when you're standing up on stage, particularly
for you know, the top draft picks who are sitting
there right in front of you, you're staring often at
(03:13):
their parents, their siblings, their friends. So it's it's truly emotional.
I mean I feel it along with them. And then
when the guys come up on stage, I mean, obviously
there's some of the best athletes.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
In the world.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
They've already performed at a high level in college and
Europe or whatever else. Like when I put my arm
on them and I shake their hand, they're often you
can feel how nervous they are, you know. It's it's
such and I think it's just a lot of them
been holding in the emotion and it's just a release
because even if you're projected to be the fifth pick
or the fourth but whatever, it is the reality of
(03:45):
that actually happening. So I'm just saying, like I'm holding
it together too. For a lot of them, it's just
and and it's I'll just add it, it's a privilege
to be up there. I don't have any particular talent,
you know, unlike a player, so I realize I'm fortunate
to be part of the experience.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Who was the first player you introduced to the NBA,
which I said, who was the first person you introduced
to the NBA? Like, what was your first pop o?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Man, I gotta think about that, because you know, I
was the deputy commissioner for several years and did the
second round as well, so I gotta think about that.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
I can't remember who who the first player is?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Is drafted. Was every I want to ask you this question.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Obviously you know legal background, worked in the NBA as well,
recipes obviously, like great David Stern, what was that moment
like when you found out that you were going to
be the commissioner?
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Man, I mean I I again, I just remember feeling
how fortunate I was. I had at that point, I
had already worked for the league for twenty years, Yes, sir,
at the time I found out, I had worked for
David Stern that entire time, so I had a seat
in the room, so to speak, for a lot of
that had transpired over that time. And I and I again,
(05:00):
I worked hard, but at the same time, I realized
it takes a fair amount of luck to be in
the right place at the right time. I saw it
as tremendous responsibility to carry this league forward off of
all those great players that had come before me, great commissioners,
you know, David Stern being the most recent. So you know,
(05:22):
it was momentous, there's no question about it. But you know,
it takes a while to sink in you just again,
just and I still feel that even eleven years later.
Just it's an awesome responsibility because in addition to the
literally hundreds of millions of fans globally that for the players,
their families, the tens of thousands of employees of the NBA,
(05:46):
you know, and now the w NBA that that we're
part of. It's you know, you feel the weight of
the responsibility. And in this league, I mean there's there's
incredible things that happen every day, but there's also things
that are risk to the business. You know that, And
it's the ultimate responsibility working together with the players, with
(06:06):
the team owners to make sure the league continues to
operate smoothly. So I would say I I'm all struck,
but also feel that sense of responsibility most definitely.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
I got a question, were talking about Draft night and
you being up there calling names, and it's been some
nights where guys' names didn't get called in that first round.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Oh what's that feeling like?
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Do you ever be like, man, I just hope this
kid gets called, because obviously I didn't go to the
green room, but I'll skip. That was a scary feeling
for me to be in a green room and I
get my name called. And we had some guys go
super super late in the first round, and be the
last guy in the green room, like, what's that feeling?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
You know, I'm often it happens occasionally where there is
a player who's projected to go higher and drops for
whatever reason. And often in some cases in between break
in between picks, I walk down and just.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Say hello to the player and their family.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
You know, we have a lunch in the day of
the draft, so I've talked to them and I see
them before the draft, but also just to remind them
that nobody can predict the future that I mean I
think about, you know, I mean our MVP in Shay
I forgot it on. He's like the eleventh pick or whatever.
He wasn't a top ten pick. Tyresee wasn't a top
(07:20):
ten pick. But not only were they not ten top
ten picks, but they were both traded, you know. And
and you have incredible players. You know, Jokich was a
second round pick. Ye young man just pointed out to me.
You know, Draymond Green was a second round pick. I mean,
you have look at the current finals. You know, you
(07:43):
have players who are enormous contributors who weren't.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Drafted at all.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And so I always see it as my responsibility to
remind them that this is just one point in time
and you should take motivation from this and that again
that understandably these teams are making these decisions, but don't
let that sort of prediction be controlling on you and
go double down on your work because there's a reason
(08:12):
that they're there, that they were projected to be there.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
And even if you know, if you think the NBA is.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
The four hund and fifty best players in the world,
so we have a relatively small draft compared like if
you watch the NFL draft, how many rounds they have,
It's only a two round draft. So again I just
remind them like, yeah, it sucks in that moment, it
feels embarrassing potentially, but go get them. You know, this
(08:38):
isn't gonna determine your faith.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Oh definitely.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You brought a very interesting point up. We're looking at
the finals right now. Obviously Games seven will take place
very very soon. We have two small market teams. You
see a lot of the nerves just like, oh, the
NBA is upset. We don't have bigger markets in that.
We would love to have that conversation with you because
obviously it has been great basketball being played the energy's
been high. You've been in both arenas. The fans there
seem happy. Is a narrative.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
It is just like now, y'all not really tuned in
into an actual product.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
You know, I could say so much about that, A
few things.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I'll say.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
One of the points I made the other night was,
you know, I'm sure that a lot of NFL fans
here when the Steelers and the Packers play, you know,
Pittsburgh and green Bay, nobody says two small market teams.
It's thatad It's two storied franchises, and I want to
emulate the NFL from that standpoint. I mean, our goal
and we're on our way there that whatever market it is,
(09:30):
they have passionate fans. They're competing for the championship. And
just like in Milwaukee where he won that championship, Jeff,
you know, it's the story, isn't that it's a small market.
It's the best franchises in the NBA, the best teams
in the world, competing for championships, and increasingly in a
digital world where the incremental difference between Indianapolis and Chicago
(09:54):
should become irrelevant because.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
We have a global fan base.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yes, we have something like a two billion person social
media community. I mean something like seventy million people will
have watched the NBA Finals this year. So the fact
that there may be a million more people that live
in one market or another shouldn't be the issue. Now,
I accept that it's a narrative going in the other thing,
(10:19):
I'll point out some of those markets are only smaller
relative to the size of other NBA markets. The mayor
of Oklahoma City pointed out that three hundred million Americans,
close to ninety percent of Americans live in cities and
towns that are smaller than Indianapolis and Oklahoma City.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Like most of.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Us, I'm from the suburbs of New York, but I
grew up in a town Ryan, New York that had
fifteen thousand people and so and my growing up, Yeah,
New York City wasn't that far away, but it seemed
like it was a million miles away.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
That was my town.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
When Little League season started, we had a Little League parade.
My high school only had a couple hundred people in it.
That was my world. So I think it owned This
small versus big market narrative only becomes relevant because of
historically how we've looked at things but again, the world's
changing quickly. To me, if you're Jannis Tenakunpo and you're
(11:18):
in Milwaukee, you're globally known, and nobody's going to convince
him that if you went down the road to Chicago,
then you can be that much of a bigger star.
So and I lastly saying, just having going back and
forth from Indianapolis to Oklahoma City and vice versa over
the last two weeks, the passion is unbelievable in those towns.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I just came in from Indianapolis this morning. I mean,
you're there.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Every storefront has banners in it for the Pacers. Same
thing in Oklahoma City. Every building has a huge.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Banner on it.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Everyone's wearing merchandise. If you see on television, everyone's wearing
the team colors. It's like a college environment. And so
in some ways, when you're in those markets where that
are smaller, it captures people's attention even more than you know.
I live in New York City now, when when we
have teams in this town that are competing for championships,
(12:10):
as big as that audience is, it's not as all
consuming as it might be in a so called smaller market.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
For sure, I mean, we were talking to a guy yesterday.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
He was telling us about how it was in New
York when they were just making the Eastern Conference finals.
And I think that's what the narrative is because when
you see all the people outside it was what a
million people almost outside, you started thinking like.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Man, if they was in the finals, what what that
look like?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
So I think that's worse, you know, talk about But
to me being from Indiana and seeing how the Pacers
reacting the fans are, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
I think it's beautiful for the league.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
It is.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
And also I mean when it comes to basketball, no
state is more closely associated with the game than Indiana.
I know you're still coaching high school. Yeah, while they're
staying in Oklahoma City. I mean, it's this sport feels
endemic to those markets. It's as I said, it's not
there's the support for the thunder, for the Pacers, but
(13:09):
also people just love the game in those cities and
states and you can really feel it. And I think
particular the way these finals are being played, just the
selfless style, the pass first, I mean both teams, it's
a great defense, really physical. I think people are really
eating up these finals they're just really enjoying them.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
For sure, we'll be getting some expansion teams here soon.
What the expansion change how you feel about the.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You know, I it's something we're going to look at it.
It's more complicated, I think sometimes than people realize, because
I think some people look at expansion that you're printing money.
It's not because it's like, if you own something, you're
selling an interest in it. If you're one of the
thirty owners in the NBA and just say you expand
by two teams, it's not that different than selling a
(13:56):
portion of your team to someone else.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Having said that, there's so many great markets out there
that love the NBA. It's something we're definitely gonna look at.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
Okay, for sure, yes, I now, he said Seattle, who
was just trying to figure out, like what cities would
be good to bring a new team too.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Obviously they do the Summer League in Vegas, so it's
equipped for NBA basketball, So I know Vegas will probably
be a coole spot.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Like you said, Seattle had a team already.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know, it's interesting. I mean, we had a team
in Seattle before. It's such an incredible market for many
of my years that the NBA were spent when we
still had a team in Seattle. There's no doubt about
the love for basketball there and Vegas. You just mentioned
where we are our summer league. I feel like we
have a team there. Yeah, you know, the two weeks
or so that Summer League goes, it literally like it
(14:47):
consumes the whole basketball world. Those games when we first
started playing the Summer League, they are those games were
hardly even on television. Now, sports centers operating out of
Las Vegas studio shows there. You know, it's it's like
they I've never been to the Baseball Winter Meetings, but
that's what it feels like. You know, all the general
managers there, teams are doing deals, guys who weren't drafted
(15:10):
or there the draft picks are there. They're selling out
in the arenas. So like I feel like we already
have a huge presence in Las Vegas.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Definitely. Sure. I want to ask you a fun question.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
I'll recently introduced somebody to the movie Eddie, and then
we watched Celtic Pride. So those old NBA movies that
used to integrate all the things between us, me and
the Spans fictional in the NBA. I want to know,
how does that happen? Is there a license in to
our conversation that happens? Because you know, you see a
lot of things meet you and some of the players,
some not I would love to see. Is that something
that's in the works future as a game is going
(15:40):
we get back into that. But how does a conversation
or something like that happened?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Well, the way it works, And I was at the
league for Eddie and Celtic Pride, And there's a division
of the NBA called NBA Entertainment that I used to run.
And so when people and for anybody here today or
is listening to this wants to make a movie involving
the NBA's teams come to us, I mean we try
to make it easy, you know, in es since we
come and say if you want a license, you.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Know our logos or our name.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
You know, we want movies to ultimately be positive of
course about the league. So you know, most people realize that.
So it's not that we're not approving things that come
to us, but we'll have discussions with the producers and
the writers and the directors. But we want people to
be talking about basketball. We want them to be talking
about the NBA and the w NBA and all the
(16:28):
things we're doing. So, you know, I think over the years,
we've learned to try to make it a bit more
turnkey for people who want to use our intellectual property
and say please, you know, we to extent that you
have a new angle and it maybe people want to
do something about mascots. It's not always just about the
you know, there was a movie called like Mike something
(16:48):
may remember. You know, there's you know, the the Michael
Jordan Last Dance. You know that came out in the
middle of the pandemic.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
What's the movie? Would common? Just right? Just right? Yeah,
you know, I mean.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
But also even like one of my favorite basketball movies
is Hoosiers, even though the NBA had nothing whatsoever to
do with that. Like any movie that's about the love
of the game is we think is really positive for us.
So we're always encouraging people who want to do anything
around basketball. You know, I'm when I walk through this
fan festival, I want more tension focused on basketball. And
(17:23):
that's like my job is to get more people to
love this game.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
You say your favorit basketball is Hoosiers. That's very interesting.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Probably probably.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Come on, I haven't seen hoos. Did you play back
in the day in high school or anything?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Did I play? Yeah, that's why I wear I played,
but not well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I mean we walked in. I was like, okay, you
might set a screen of slips. I didn't know you
was that tall. Say he might have been a sniper,
big gore back in the day. We might need you
in the park.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
And I'm in the office, thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
So I had a question like when there like a
trade like Luca happens, right and it kind of shocks
the league, Like what's it like in a league office?
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Like do y'all know, like whoa, this is about to
be wild? Or you know?
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Says before I you know. First of all, I'll say
one of the misnomers I think out there is that
I have the power to disapprove a trade. Yeah, I
don't think the only what the league's role is, as
you can imagine in a in a cap system and
a set of rules around trades, what happens is before
the trade is known publicly, although sometimes they're leaked or
(18:37):
they're or they're informally announced, but for a trade to
be official, it gets called into the league office. It's
kind of old school, you know, where both teams have
to get on the phone and lawyers and people in
basketball operations literally line up the contract. So if somebody
make it up is making eight million dollars, you have
to ensure that the other team has eight million dollars
(19:00):
of cap space in order to sign that player. You
have to assure that it complies with all of our rules.
And so we get if assuming a trade hasn't been leaked,
a call will come into the league office, a team
will say we want to set up a trade call.
Both sides will be on the call. It's a little
(19:20):
bit like anybody who's bought a home and there's a closing,
the closest thing where you've got to make sure like
you indeed have the title to the house. Yeah, there's
been an inspection, and there's a contract, all those things,
so there's in essence of checklist, and then the trade
becomes official. So we don't and because the teams often
in particular trades and Luca is a good example where
(19:42):
the teams are very secretive, they're not necessarily tipping us off.
We learned about it, I mean, we learned about it
be ahead of the public, but only it's usually only
a question of hours because we have to go through
that official process of approving it, but not sooner than that.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Was that like when you've seen that come across where
you kind of shock, like, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Would only say I mean because in many ways I'm
a fan like others, and teams aren't necessarily calling the
league office for suggestions on player movement, So there's the
fan in me that only because that's not a player
move that people were talking about or the shows like
yours were talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I was surprised from that standpoint.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah, I want to ask you that question obviously, what
the game growing, media is evolving, ever changing, Right, you
got player podcasts, got independent stuff like that. What's one
thing you think that the actual media outlets can improve
that could actually help the game. I know we get
a lot of criticism, but what's something that we could
actually help promote the game better or help progress.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Well, first of all, I'll just say kind of in
the same lane when I was talking about movies about
the NBA, I'm very appreciative of the amount of media
coverage we get. I recognize it's not all going to
be positive. But to me, as long as it's genuinely
from the heart and it's real passion and people aren't
(21:03):
making up stories about us, I appreciate it. And you know,
it's one of the things great about sports is people
come with their opinions. Yeah, and they like things, they
dislike things, and we learn from that too, you know.
And it's we pay attention to social media, we pay
attention to traditional media. You get great ideas from there.
I think the only thing I'd add to the extent
(21:25):
there's more media that's educating fans about what goes into
championship basketball. I think sometimes if you haven't been close
to the game, and I've learned a lot over my
time because I didn't play at a high high level,
to understand that it's not just about effort. It's about
(21:45):
the plays that are unfolding. It's about the sophistication of
the coaching, It's about the sophistication of the scouting. I mean,
I think sometimes like understanding what goes into being an
NBA player, the amount of hard work, the amount of training.
But also I think sometimes because the way our game
(22:05):
is called, you know, it's it's moving so quickly, even
for the best announcers, play by play announcers like Mike Breen,
or the best color commentaries, the best color commentary. It's
moving so fast, there's not necessarily time to explain everything
that's happening that you know, it's not just this guy
(22:26):
is off tonight, but he may be off because it's
incredible defense and what is the scheme and what is
that defense? So I think sometimes like those other shows,
whether it's a pregame show or halftime or it's an
afternoon show, podcast, you name it, about the NBA, just
to be talking about more about the game and what
(22:48):
goes into team basketball and what and what goes into
making the NBA and staying in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Yeah, sure, definitely.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
You always talk about how the NBA is a business
and the fraternity and what they do for the players
after they leave the game.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
I want to indulge in that a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Yeah, obviously, it's a bunch of programming now that it's
been coming into the league. When I first came in
the league, the rookie rookie transition and all those great
things that you have to do when you first get
in the league, I was wondering, how can we like,
I'm not gonna say better, and I think it's does
a really good job, and everything is nice when you
retire from basketball, But is anything like you would suggest
(23:26):
or some of the guys who might retire at the
age of like thirty thirty one, is there anything you
can suggest to help them with that process.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
It's a great question. A few things. Number One, so,
for the first time, we have a former player who's
running the Players Association, Andre Gudala, yep. So he's very
attuned to the issues of not just former players, but
the transition for a player to go from being on
the floor to then the rest of their life, and
(23:57):
to how they're gonna use the skills they've developed as
a player and what new skills they might need to
be successful whatever they choose to do, whether it's to
be in the media or to run business or whatever else.
The other thing Andrea is doing is building a closer
relationship between what has been a separate organization, the Retired
Players Association, and the union that currently represents the players,
(24:20):
because I think that can help with the smooth transition
as well. And then you mentioned the Rookie Transition Program,
So that's a program for players coming into the NBA,
the transition of coming from college or Europe wherever it is.
Now the world's changing quickly because now with nil deals
and collectives, guys are now coming into the league and
(24:42):
the same thing for the women in the WNBA now
in many cases having been paid, so they already have
a certain sophistication around payments and being you know, shoe
deals and things like that. But so they come in
we have the training in I think one thing that
Andre is very focused on awareness and the Union leaders
before him, is enhancing those programs so that while you're
(25:05):
a player, there's a lot of different counseling on managing
your money, managing your life, you know, dealing with social media,
all those things. And the Union has done a fantastic job.
There's a role for our teams and a role for
the league and doing all those things. And then I
think also where Andre now, I think the focus is
(25:26):
all right, what more can we do for helping the
players manage that transition. And then once I said, they
become a retired player because often and Jeff you can
speak to, when you're right off the floor, there may
be a period of sort of decompressing, taking some time,
there's that change from being on the road the whole time.
Often guys are getting reacquainted with their families or you know,
(25:48):
they've they've had kids while they were playing and haven't
been around as much. So there's that period. But then
now you have essentially the rest of your life ahead
of you. What kind of programs can we help provide
to train people? And I'll just say lastly, I mean
there's also one of the things that we put in
place several years ago, and and Michelle Roberts was head
(26:10):
of the Players Association, Chris Paul was president Union is
lifetime health insurance for guys who played in the league,
which is a huge deal, and also enhancing the pension programs,
the four oh one K program, so that for somebody
who has played, you know, a certain minimum threshold of
years in the league, you know to a certain extent,
you'll be set. You know you're gonna have health insurance,
(26:32):
you know you're gonna have a pension. Now, you know
that that's not suggesting they should just be satisfied with that,
But on top of that, there's all these other opportunities,
and you're obviously a great example of it of what
can you then use that platform you have by virtue
of being an NBA player and then building careers from
beyond what you accomplished on the floor.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
For sure, most.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Definitely we talk about the NIO situation all the time.
I know you probably asked some millions. Is it a
possibility to high schoolayers go back to the NBA straight?
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (27:04):
But the nil impact you say, you got lesser people
in the drift this year. If you think that stuffing
is gonna be an on one issue, is it's just
a new transition Perio, because it's just new.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Yeah, when you think about it, we don't, as I said,
we only have a two round draft. And the fact
I think it's really positive that some of these young
men are getting good information in essence and realizing that
they're unlikely to be one of the to be selected
in those two rounds. And if that's the case, and
they can remain in college and be paid and in
(27:33):
many cases paid significant amounts of money. That so one,
they're getting compensated for their skill and maybe even more importantly,
to extent they want to be professional basketball players. They're
getting real minutes, they're getting great coaching, and they're continuing
to train and improve at their craft. So it's a
(27:55):
win win for everybody as opposed to losing eligibility because
if somebody's convinced you that you're going to be a
top draft pick, not getting drafted, you can't go back
to college and now you're going to play maybe in
Europe or Asia or something else, as opposed to really
honing your skill and having your best shot at.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Playing in the NBA.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
And the other thing is if you're not going to
be drafted and you're going back into school, it shouldn't
be lost that you're also you know, continuing to get
an education, because realistically, you may not have an opportunity
to play in the NBA. It may be great, you know,
it may to go play in Europe. There's great basketball
playing played around the world, but that may you know,
(28:39):
not compensate you at the same level as being in
the NBA. You may not be able to do it
for as long. So now you finish, you play for
three four years in Europe, whatever it is, but now
you have a college education and then you can go
out and then pursue another career. So I think the
fact that some of those young men are withdrawing their
names is very positive to me. That just means there's
(29:00):
better information out there in the marketplace.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Will we ever get back to kids being able to
come straight out of high school? Like, what that ever
be a thing again in the NBA? Do you think?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
You know, we've talked about that, you know, just so
everybody understands, like, that's not a decision we can make
on our own. It can only it has to be
negotiated with the players Association, And when we last discussed it,
I think that the general feeling from the teams and
the players is to extent that those young players have
that extra year. Honestly, whether it's in college or playing
(29:33):
in Europe. There it's better for the league because they
come in better skilled, with a little bit more maturity.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Gotch.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
We've talked about obviously the All Star format possibly being
the USA versus the world. We've got a lot of
great international players, a lot than one MVP. Recently, we
got camps around the world.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Is there a.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Possibility that we could get an expansion scene that's not
in the United States.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Well, we have the Raptors, of course, but you know,
but around I know they're attached.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
It's not the same. Yeah, over time.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
I mean, one of the things we've been looking at
the league at the league is whether we can help
operate a new professional league in Europe. I mean, don't
get me wrong, there's incredible basketball being played in Europe,
and there's some really great teams, and you know, several
of our most recent MVPs have come from Europe. But
(30:27):
I think from a commercial standpoint, basketball professional basketball hasn't
been nearly as successful in Europe as the size of
the market might suggest. So that's one path I wouldn't
called expansion directly, but it's building off the NBA brand
and potentially doing more in Europe. To your direct question
(30:49):
about teams in Europe, I think over time, it's definitely possible.
Like I was in Paris last summer for the Olympics,
I mean, the interest was off the charts. I mean,
to me, it was the hottest sport there. I mean
like we were selling out every game, not just the
games involving USA, but you know, the gold medal game
was USA versus France.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
I mean the.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Game before the US Serbia game was some of the
best basketball I had seen. So there's great players, enormous interest.
I think part of the limitation is on players' bodies.
It's not just the length of the flight, but when
you're jumping multiple time zones, it's important guys get proper
rest for being on the floor.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
It's disruptive.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You know, there's people remember there used to be supersonic
jets that went back and forth from New York to Paris,
you know the Concorde that there's some commercial airliners now
who are talking about restoring supersonic jets. I mean, I
think that if the traveler faster, honestly, that would be
a game changer.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
It would make it easier to do.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
But as I said, I think the next step is
to sort of plan a flag in Europe, potentially with
the European League, and then go from there. But I
think if any league could do it, you could easily
imagine teams in Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin. I mean, it's
not for lack of interest, that's for.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Sure most of it. So you can imagine having a
back to back in Paris. Man.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
Yeah, like you said, that flight would have been crazy,
but it'd probably be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Though. I think guys will be open to playing in Paris.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
I've seen guys go over there for preseason games and
exhibition games, and they're like, it's cool to be over here.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
You got any adjustments that you would like to make
for the All Star All Star Game? You want to
bring some new take something out, Like how do you
feel about All Star Weekend?
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Well, the weekend itself, which we're not judged on. For
those who are there, it's fantastic. I mean I think
anybody who was in the Bay Area in San Francisco
last year, I mean there's tons of events and part ease,
and there's a fan festival kind of like this. I mean,
(33:04):
people love that experience there. The game itself, as we've
not put our best foot forward, and I think the
players recognize that. We recognize that. So, as you mentioned,
we're talking about changing the concept, doing something maybe close
to what the NHL did in the four nation faceoff.
I mean I think it if it were just straight
(33:24):
up USA World. As much as fans would love that,
I'm not sure be fair to the players because roughly
thirty percent of the players are from outside the United States,
so it wouldn't be fair to pick half the team
from thirty percent and the other half from seventy percent.
But I think we're looking I know we're looking at
different formats now talking the Players Association because we need
their agreement where we would use that concept again similar
(33:48):
to the NHL did, where you'd create that passion around
the USA playing other countries, other regions in the world.
I mean, I'm particularly excited about it. I'll just so
next year, our All Star Game is moving to NBC
where it was in the old days, and we'll be
in the middle of the Winter Olympics. So on the
Sunday when the All Star Game takes place, for TV watchers,
(34:12):
they'll be watching the Olympics, you know, all day. Then
you'll come to our All Star Game, and then after
All Star Game, we'll be going back to the Olympics.
So I'd love to play off that theme that we'll
be smack in the middle, as I said, of that
Olympic competition. So I think it's a it's a good
time for us to be looking at those formats.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Okay, cool, cool, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
Oh I wanted to ask too though, So Lebron, you
know he's on his last leg.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Of the league.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
Yeah, you make sure you said that, not me.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
I'm saying that who you think that can fill that
void of like the new face of the NBA just
give me, Like.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
You know, I always say, like, you know, we don't
create those faces of the league office. They earn it
on the floor. It's interesting to watch these finals. Obviously
Shay is our MVP. Yeah, he was a scoring leader
this year, but again, I mean, he's having a great
final so far. But ultimately, Lebron is a face to
the league and Michael was and KD was and these
(35:07):
guys and Steph because they win championships. I mean, it's
looking fairness to any individual player. It's also a team sport,
and Lebron made that point the other day. Sure, but
look at sports are about competition, it's about winning. And
the great news is kind of like what I was
saying about the draft earlier. I don't have to sit
here and predict sort of who our next face of
(35:29):
the league is. They they earn it. You know, they
are established by what they do on the floor, and
it's it's great to see now this next generation. I
think in a way it's the best of all worlds
because Lebron is still at forty years old, playing an
incredibly high level. Steph is playing an incredibly high level
(35:49):
so is Kevin.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
You know.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
So, it's wonderful to see that generation still here mentoring
this next generation, but ultimately ultimately that this next generation
who want to take that mantle from them again, that
that's where the competitive juice is coming. They got to
earn it by demonstrating they deserve to be the face
of the league by their performance on the floor.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
That's definitely I wanted to ask.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
I think for all those basketball here in the off season,
we get to see all the players playing different situations
now which you're integrating the NBA, like having the Drew
League on the NBA APP, things of that nature. Is
that something that's like purposely saying, Okay, we're going to
embrace every aspect of this game and keep growing. Or
is this something organically you guys just like, you know what,
if everybody's rocking with this, we.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Might as well include ourselves in that.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
I would say it's that's a case where it's definitely both.
I mean, what's cool about the Drew League or Rucker
or anything else is that it's truly organic. I can
take zero credit for that, but then we can be
very intentional about it and say the NBA APP is
a central repository of basketball, of every you know over time,
(36:56):
truly everything basketball, but right now, anything involving INNBA players
and NBA players are playing in those summer leagues, whether
it's summer leagues here in New York or in LA
or Drew or whatever else that you know, Especially one
thing about social media, it's not always fine. It's not
always easy to discover what you're looking for. If you
(37:17):
think about X or Instagram, whatever else, like those algorithms
are pretty good at feeding you more basketball, but you've
shown interest in it. But there's nothing like that ability
to go to the NBA app, and that is identifying
for you. If there's great basketball out there involving NBA
players off season or future NBA players, or what's happening
(37:38):
in Europe or Asia, we're gonna deliver it directly to
you and that and that's a place where we're trying
to get a lot more sophisticated, but we want to
take advantage of of of all that great all that
great content, all those great games that are already out there.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Most definitely for sure, now listen, I got the jersey on.
I'm saying the goat a lot of fans missed the
classic jerseys.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Is there a world where we could.
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Possibly have the All Star Game back into the original
uniforms of the players.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
You know, I'm looking around there.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
There's a there's a gentleman out there named Sala Raka,
and he oversees all of merchandising. So, Sally, you heard
that suit. Are you nodding your head? Yes, he's saying, yes,
we're gonna we're looking at that idea. No, it's we
We go back and forth like people want new uniform
they want Oh but I love.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
The idea of the of the classic jerseys.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Hey, I love how you put him on the spot
there by start life. It's you. Hey.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
You know, the feedback from our fans is critically important.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
So thank you everybody, most definitely, Well listen, Commission, We
appreciate your time and makes Norse in Mississippi one time. Yeah,
thank you, thank you for having me, most definitely one
time for fanatic sex. Two pounds of Boots mobile twenty
five dollars unlimited tall text data what they had Team
G nationwide for shore. We appreciate you all, y'all be safe.
The volume
The volume.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
This show is a blast, it's hilarious, it's personal, and
it seems like it has no limits.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Make some noise as loud as you can for Jeff T.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Be Hen and DJ Wells, host of the Club five
twenty podcasts.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
Make some noise, Get yourself some draws, get yourself some DAWs.
There you gonna make some noise, Get some drums. Hit
him in the back, be Hen, back there in the back.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Behn.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
There you go, your.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Sir, Yo yo yo, y old fanatics, How y'all doing,
how y'all doing? What on? Yeah London, eargy? You'll know
what the time it is at this Club five twenty.
(00:51):
I'm your host, my Nemet, DJ Wells live in Fanatics,
macs man one time for Boots. We know the Bob's
twenty five dollars unlimited talk text do or what they
add with the T five gen nation. While y'all know
what time of this, come a man, tap in and
get you a phone man. Still got my game with
me up here to my far left, we got my
dog Bishop be hearing out the pearlies.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
How you are nasty saying?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
And what up?
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Fanatics? My boy? What's up? Baby? What?
Speaker 4 (01:13):
What up?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Tapped in for show. To my right, my dog young
Nacho Young team got you what what's good?
Speaker 1 (01:18):
We got a good one today, got a good one today.
Come on man, listen man, we got a special special
guest man. We couldn't imagine that we would have digitallemen
on our platform.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
But it's a blessing. We're about to have a dope conversation.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
We happy to share this moment, which y'all we have
the one, the only, the commission. Mister Adam Silver joined
the five twenty. Makes some noise, Yes, sir, yes, sir,
go go sir.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
It's a pleasure. It's a pleasure. Thank you boss man. Hello, yeah,
energy energy, you love this Wow. First and foremost who
want to say thank you? We areppreciate you joining us
or how you doing.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm doing great? This is incredible. I mean, I for
the fans, this must be fantastic. Just to the whole
environment here. I mean, congratulations to Michael Rubin. I can't
believe what he's built for.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Sure, I'm sure listen, this is a blessing to have
you on this stage. Obviously, you know what I'm saying.
You got to walk across that stage. But for me
and be here. It's our Draft night moment. Baby, Yeah
I got I didn't. I didn't walk across the stage.
I didn't go to the draft, but I got a
chance to hear my name called. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Do you got a championship ring though?
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, I got a championship better than yeah, talk about it.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I snuck out of there with one.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah. Now, I wanted to ask you this question because
everybody's moment, no is their dream to get across the
NBA SA, shake your hand and hold a jersey. What
was it like for you the first time and you
got to be in that position and helps the draft
as the commissioner.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
It was, it's it's it's emotional for me. It still
is because you know, for that moment to come into
the NBA for these players and just as importantly for
their families. So when you're standing up on stage, particularly
for you know, the top draft picks who are sitting
there right in front of you, you're staring often at
(03:13):
their parents, their siblings, their friends. So it's it's truly emotional.
I mean I feel it along with them. And then
when the guys come up on stage, I mean, obviously
there's some of the best athletes.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
In the world.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
They've already performed at a high level in college and
Europe or whatever else. Like when I put my arm
on them and I shake their hand, they're often you
can feel how nervous they are, you know. It's it's
such and I think it's just a lot of them
been holding in the emotion and it's just a release
because even if you're projected to be the fifth pick
or the fourth but whatever, it is the reality of
(03:45):
that actually happening. So I'm just saying, like I'm holding
it together too. For a lot of them, it's just
and and it's I'll just add it, it's a privilege
to be up there. I don't have any particular talent,
you know, unlike a player, so I realize I'm fortunate
to be part of the experience.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
Who was the first player you introduced to the NBA,
which I said, who was the first person you introduced
to the NBA? Like, what was your first pop o?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Man, I gotta think about that, because you know, I
was the deputy commissioner for several years and did the
second round as well, so I gotta think about that.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
I can't remember who who the first player is?
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Is drafted. Was every I want to ask you this question.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Obviously you know legal background, worked in the NBA as well,
recipes obviously, like great David Stern, what was that moment
like when you found out that you were going to
be the commissioner?
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Man, I mean I I again, I just remember feeling
how fortunate I was. I had at that point, I
had already worked for the league for twenty years, Yes, sir,
at the time I found out, I had worked for
David Stern that entire time, so I had a seat
in the room, so to speak, for a lot of
that had transpired over that time. And I and I again,
(05:00):
I worked hard, but at the same time, I realized
it takes a fair amount of luck to be in
the right place at the right time. I saw it
as tremendous responsibility to carry this league forward off of
all those great players that had come before me, great commissioners,
you know, David Stern being the most recent. So you know,
(05:22):
it was momentous, there's no question about it. But you know,
it takes a while to sink in you just again,
just and I still feel that even eleven years later.
Just it's an awesome responsibility because in addition to the
literally hundreds of millions of fans globally that for the players,
their families, the tens of thousands of employees of the NBA,
(05:46):
you know, and now the w NBA that that we're
part of. It's you know, you feel the weight of
the responsibility. And in this league, I mean there's there's
incredible things that happen every day, but there's also things
that are risk to the business. You know that, And
it's the ultimate responsibility working together with the players, with
(06:06):
the team owners to make sure the league continues to
operate smoothly. So I would say I I'm all struck,
but also feel that sense of responsibility most definitely.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
I got a question, were talking about Draft night and
you being up there calling names, and it's been some
nights where guys' names didn't get called in that first round.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
Oh what's that feeling like?
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Do you ever be like, man, I just hope this
kid gets called, because obviously I didn't go to the
green room, but I'll skip. That was a scary feeling
for me to be in a green room and I
get my name called. And we had some guys go
super super late in the first round, and be the
last guy in the green room, like, what's that feeling?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
You know, I'm often it happens occasionally where there is
a player who's projected to go higher and drops for
whatever reason. And often in some cases in between break
in between picks, I walk down and just.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Say hello to the player and their family.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
You know, we have a lunch in the day of
the draft, so I've talked to them and I see
them before the draft, but also just to remind them
that nobody can predict the future that I mean I
think about, you know, I mean our MVP in Shay
I forgot it on. He's like the eleventh pick or whatever.
He wasn't a top ten pick. Tyresee wasn't a top
(07:20):
ten pick. But not only were they not ten top
ten picks, but they were both traded, you know. And
and you have incredible players. You know, Jokich was a
second round pick. Ye young man just pointed out to me.
You know, Draymond Green was a second round pick. I mean,
you have look at the current finals. You know, you
(07:43):
have players who are enormous contributors who weren't.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Drafted at all.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And so I always see it as my responsibility to
remind them that this is just one point in time
and you should take motivation from this and that again
that understandably these teams are making these decisions, but don't
let that sort of prediction be controlling on you and
go double down on your work because there's a reason
(08:12):
that they're there, that they were projected to be there.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
And even if you know, if you think the NBA is.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
The four hund and fifty best players in the world,
so we have a relatively small draft compared like if
you watch the NFL draft, how many rounds they have,
It's only a two round draft. So again I just
remind them like, yeah, it sucks in that moment, it
feels embarrassing potentially, but go get them. You know, this
(08:38):
isn't gonna determine your faith.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Oh definitely.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
You brought a very interesting point up. We're looking at
the finals right now. Obviously Games seven will take place
very very soon. We have two small market teams. You
see a lot of the nerves just like, oh, the
NBA is upset. We don't have bigger markets in that.
We would love to have that conversation with you because
obviously it has been great basketball being played the energy's
been high. You've been in both arenas. The fans there
seem happy. Is a narrative.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
It is just like now, y'all not really tuned in
into an actual product.
Speaker 4 (09:04):
You know, I could say so much about that, A
few things.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I'll say.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
One of the points I made the other night was,
you know, I'm sure that a lot of NFL fans
here when the Steelers and the Packers play, you know,
Pittsburgh and green Bay, nobody says two small market teams.
It's thatad It's two storied franchises, and I want to
emulate the NFL from that standpoint. I mean, our goal
and we're on our way there that whatever market it is,
(09:30):
they have passionate fans. They're competing for the championship. And
just like in Milwaukee where he won that championship, Jeff,
you know, it's the story, isn't that it's a small market.
It's the best franchises in the NBA, the best teams
in the world, competing for championships, and increasingly in a
digital world where the incremental difference between Indianapolis and Chicago
(09:54):
should become irrelevant because.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
We have a global fan base.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yes, we have something like a two billion person social
media community. I mean something like seventy million people will
have watched the NBA Finals this year. So the fact
that there may be a million more people that live
in one market or another shouldn't be the issue. Now,
I accept that it's a narrative going in the other thing,
(10:19):
I'll point out some of those markets are only smaller
relative to the size of other NBA markets. The mayor
of Oklahoma City pointed out that three hundred million Americans,
close to ninety percent of Americans live in cities and
towns that are smaller than Indianapolis and Oklahoma City.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Like most of.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Us, I'm from the suburbs of New York, but I
grew up in a town Ryan, New York that had
fifteen thousand people and so and my growing up, Yeah,
New York City wasn't that far away, but it seemed
like it was a million miles away.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
That was my town.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
When Little League season started, we had a Little League parade.
My high school only had a couple hundred people in it.
That was my world. So I think it owned This
small versus big market narrative only becomes relevant because of
historically how we've looked at things but again, the world's
changing quickly. To me, if you're Jannis Tenakunpo and you're
(11:18):
in Milwaukee, you're globally known, and nobody's going to convince
him that if you went down the road to Chicago,
then you can be that much of a bigger star.
So and I lastly saying, just having going back and
forth from Indianapolis to Oklahoma City and vice versa over
the last two weeks, the passion is unbelievable in those towns.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
I just came in from Indianapolis this morning. I mean,
you're there.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Every storefront has banners in it for the Pacers. Same
thing in Oklahoma City. Every building has a huge.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Banner on it.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Everyone's wearing merchandise. If you see on television, everyone's wearing
the team colors. It's like a college environment. And so
in some ways, when you're in those markets where that
are smaller, it captures people's attention even more than you know.
I live in New York City now, when when we
have teams in this town that are competing for championships,
(12:10):
as big as that audience is, it's not as all
consuming as it might be in a so called smaller market.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
For sure, I mean, we were talking to a guy yesterday.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
He was telling us about how it was in New
York when they were just making the Eastern Conference finals.
And I think that's what the narrative is because when
you see all the people outside it was what a
million people almost outside, you started thinking like.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Man, if they was in the finals, what what that
look like?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
So I think that's worse, you know, talk about But
to me being from Indiana and seeing how the Pacers
reacting the fans are, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
I think it's beautiful for the league.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
It is.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
And also I mean when it comes to basketball, no
state is more closely associated with the game than Indiana.
I know you're still coaching high school. Yeah, while they're
staying in Oklahoma City. I mean, it's this sport feels
endemic to those markets. It's as I said, it's not
there's the support for the thunder, for the Pacers, but
(13:09):
also people just love the game in those cities and
states and you can really feel it. And I think
particular the way these finals are being played, just the
selfless style, the pass first, I mean both teams, it's
a great defense, really physical. I think people are really
eating up these finals they're just really enjoying them.
Speaker 5 (13:27):
For sure, we'll be getting some expansion teams here soon.
What the expansion change how you feel about the.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
You know, I it's something we're going to look at it.
It's more complicated, I think sometimes than people realize, because
I think some people look at expansion that you're printing money.
It's not because it's like, if you own something, you're
selling an interest in it. If you're one of the
thirty owners in the NBA and just say you expand
by two teams, it's not that different than selling a
(13:56):
portion of your team to someone else.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Having said that, there's so many great markets out there
that love the NBA. It's something we're definitely gonna look at.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
Okay, for sure, yes, I now, he said Seattle, who
was just trying to figure out, like what cities would
be good to bring a new team too.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Obviously they do the Summer League in Vegas, so it's
equipped for NBA basketball, So I know Vegas will probably
be a coole spot.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Like you said, Seattle had a team already.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
You know, it's interesting. I mean, we had a team
in Seattle before. It's such an incredible market for many
of my years that the NBA were spent when we
still had a team in Seattle. There's no doubt about
the love for basketball there and Vegas. You just mentioned
where we are our summer league. I feel like we
have a team there. Yeah, you know, the two weeks
or so that Summer League goes, it literally like it
(14:47):
consumes the whole basketball world. Those games when we first
started playing the Summer League, they are those games were
hardly even on television. Now, sports centers operating out of
Las Vegas studio shows there. You know, it's it's like
they I've never been to the Baseball Winter Meetings, but
that's what it feels like. You know, all the general
managers there, teams are doing deals, guys who weren't drafted
(15:10):
or there the draft picks are there. They're selling out
in the arenas. So like I feel like we already
have a huge presence in Las Vegas.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
Definitely. Sure. I want to ask you a fun question.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
I'll recently introduced somebody to the movie Eddie, and then
we watched Celtic Pride. So those old NBA movies that
used to integrate all the things between us, me and
the Spans fictional in the NBA. I want to know,
how does that happen? Is there a license in to
our conversation that happens? Because you know, you see a
lot of things meet you and some of the players,
some not I would love to see. Is that something
that's in the works future as a game is going
(15:40):
we get back into that. But how does a conversation
or something like that happened?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Well, the way it works, And I was at the
league for Eddie and Celtic Pride, And there's a division
of the NBA called NBA Entertainment that I used to run.
And so when people and for anybody here today or
is listening to this wants to make a movie involving
the NBA's teams come to us, I mean we try
to make it easy, you know, in es since we
come and say if you want a license, you.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Know our logos or our name.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
You know, we want movies to ultimately be positive of
course about the league. So you know, most people realize that.
So it's not that we're not approving things that come
to us, but we'll have discussions with the producers and
the writers and the directors. But we want people to
be talking about basketball. We want them to be talking
about the NBA and the w NBA and all the
(16:28):
things we're doing. So, you know, I think over the years,
we've learned to try to make it a bit more
turnkey for people who want to use our intellectual property
and say please, you know, we to extent that you
have a new angle and it maybe people want to
do something about mascots. It's not always just about the
you know, there was a movie called like Mike something
(16:48):
may remember. You know, there's you know, the the Michael
Jordan Last Dance. You know that came out in the
middle of the pandemic.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
What's the movie? Would common? Just right? Just right? Yeah,
you know, I mean.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
But also even like one of my favorite basketball movies
is Hoosiers, even though the NBA had nothing whatsoever to
do with that. Like any movie that's about the love
of the game is we think is really positive for us.
So we're always encouraging people who want to do anything
around basketball. You know, I'm when I walk through this
fan festival, I want more tension focused on basketball. And
(17:23):
that's like my job is to get more people to
love this game.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
You say your favorit basketball is Hoosiers. That's very interesting.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Probably probably.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Come on, I haven't seen hoos. Did you play back
in the day in high school or anything?
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Did I play? Yeah, that's why I wear I played,
but not well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I mean we walked in. I was like, okay, you
might set a screen of slips. I didn't know you
was that tall. Say he might have been a sniper,
big gore back in the day. We might need you
in the park.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
And I'm in the office, thank you.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
So I had a question like when there like a
trade like Luca happens, right and it kind of shocks
the league, Like what's it like in a league office?
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Like do y'all know, like whoa, this is about to
be wild? Or you know?
Speaker 2 (18:14):
Says before I you know. First of all, I'll say
one of the misnomers I think out there is that
I have the power to disapprove a trade. Yeah, I
don't think the only what the league's role is, as
you can imagine in a in a cap system and
a set of rules around trades, what happens is before
the trade is known publicly, although sometimes they're leaked or
(18:37):
they're or they're informally announced, but for a trade to
be official, it gets called into the league office. It's
kind of old school, you know, where both teams have
to get on the phone and lawyers and people in
basketball operations literally line up the contract. So if somebody
make it up is making eight million dollars, you have
to ensure that the other team has eight million dollars
(19:00):
of cap space in order to sign that player. You
have to assure that it complies with all of our rules.
And so we get if assuming a trade hasn't been leaked,
a call will come into the league office, a team
will say we want to set up a trade call.
Both sides will be on the call. It's a little
(19:20):
bit like anybody who's bought a home and there's a closing,
the closest thing where you've got to make sure like
you indeed have the title to the house. Yeah, there's
been an inspection, and there's a contract, all those things,
so there's in essence of checklist, and then the trade
becomes official. So we don't and because the teams often
in particular trades and Luca is a good example where
(19:42):
the teams are very secretive, they're not necessarily tipping us off.
We learned about it, I mean, we learned about it
be ahead of the public, but only it's usually only
a question of hours because we have to go through
that official process of approving it, but not sooner than that.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
Was that like when you've seen that come across where
you kind of shock, like, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Would only say I mean because in many ways I'm
a fan like others, and teams aren't necessarily calling the
league office for suggestions on player movement, So there's the
fan in me that only because that's not a player
move that people were talking about or the shows like
yours were talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
I was surprised from that standpoint.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Yeah, I want to ask you that question obviously, what
the game growing, media is evolving, ever changing, Right, you
got player podcasts, got independent stuff like that. What's one
thing you think that the actual media outlets can improve
that could actually help the game. I know we get
a lot of criticism, but what's something that we could
actually help promote the game better or help progress.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Well, first of all, I'll just say kind of in
the same lane when I was talking about movies about
the NBA, I'm very appreciative of the amount of media
coverage we get. I recognize it's not all going to
be positive. But to me, as long as it's genuinely
from the heart and it's real passion and people aren't
(21:03):
making up stories about us, I appreciate it. And you know,
it's one of the things great about sports is people
come with their opinions. Yeah, and they like things, they
dislike things, and we learn from that too, you know.
And it's we pay attention to social media, we pay
attention to traditional media. You get great ideas from there.
I think the only thing I'd add to the extent
(21:25):
there's more media that's educating fans about what goes into
championship basketball. I think sometimes if you haven't been close
to the game, and I've learned a lot over my
time because I didn't play at a high high level,
to understand that it's not just about effort. It's about
(21:45):
the plays that are unfolding. It's about the sophistication of
the coaching, It's about the sophistication of the scouting. I mean,
I think sometimes like understanding what goes into being an
NBA player, the amount of hard work, the amount of training.
But also I think sometimes because the way our game
(22:05):
is called, you know, it's it's moving so quickly, even
for the best announcers, play by play announcers like Mike Breen,
or the best color commentaries, the best color commentary. It's
moving so fast, there's not necessarily time to explain everything
that's happening that you know, it's not just this guy
(22:26):
is off tonight, but he may be off because it's
incredible defense and what is the scheme and what is
that defense? So I think sometimes like those other shows,
whether it's a pregame show or halftime or it's an
afternoon show, podcast, you name it, about the NBA, just
to be talking about more about the game and what
(22:48):
goes into team basketball and what and what goes into
making the NBA and staying in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Yeah, sure, definitely.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
You always talk about how the NBA is a business
and the fraternity and what they do for the players
after they leave the game.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
I want to indulge in that a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Yeah, obviously, it's a bunch of programming now that it's
been coming into the league. When I first came in
the league, the rookie rookie transition and all those great
things that you have to do when you first get
in the league, I was wondering, how can we like,
I'm not gonna say better, and I think it's does
a really good job, and everything is nice when you
retire from basketball, But is anything like you would suggest
(23:26):
or some of the guys who might retire at the
age of like thirty thirty one, is there anything you
can suggest to help them with that process.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
It's a great question. A few things. Number One, so,
for the first time, we have a former player who's
running the Players Association, Andre Gudala, yep. So he's very
attuned to the issues of not just former players, but
the transition for a player to go from being on
the floor to then the rest of their life, and
(23:57):
to how they're gonna use the skills they've developed as
a player and what new skills they might need to
be successful whatever they choose to do, whether it's to
be in the media or to run business or whatever else.
The other thing Andrea is doing is building a closer
relationship between what has been a separate organization, the Retired
Players Association, and the union that currently represents the players,
(24:20):
because I think that can help with the smooth transition
as well. And then you mentioned the Rookie Transition Program,
So that's a program for players coming into the NBA,
the transition of coming from college or Europe wherever it is.
Now the world's changing quickly because now with nil deals
and collectives, guys are now coming into the league and
(24:42):
the same thing for the women in the WNBA now
in many cases having been paid, so they already have
a certain sophistication around payments and being you know, shoe
deals and things like that. But so they come in
we have the training in I think one thing that
Andre is very focused on awareness and the Union leaders
before him, is enhancing those programs so that while you're
(25:05):
a player, there's a lot of different counseling on managing
your money, managing your life, you know, dealing with social media,
all those things. And the Union has done a fantastic job.
There's a role for our teams and a role for
the league and doing all those things. And then I
think also where Andre now, I think the focus is
(25:26):
all right, what more can we do for helping the
players manage that transition. And then once I said, they
become a retired player because often and Jeff you can
speak to, when you're right off the floor, there may
be a period of sort of decompressing, taking some time,
there's that change from being on the road the whole time.
Often guys are getting reacquainted with their families or you know,
(25:48):
they've they've had kids while they were playing and haven't
been around as much. So there's that period. But then
now you have essentially the rest of your life ahead
of you. What kind of programs can we help provide
to train people? And I'll just say lastly, I mean
there's also one of the things that we put in
place several years ago, and and Michelle Roberts was head
(26:10):
of the Players Association, Chris Paul was president Union is
lifetime health insurance for guys who played in the league,
which is a huge deal, and also enhancing the pension programs,
the four oh one K program, so that for somebody
who has played, you know, a certain minimum threshold of
years in the league, you know to a certain extent,
you'll be set. You know you're gonna have health insurance,
(26:32):
you know you're gonna have a pension. Now, you know
that that's not suggesting they should just be satisfied with that,
But on top of that, there's all these other opportunities,
and you're obviously a great example of it of what
can you then use that platform you have by virtue
of being an NBA player and then building careers from
beyond what you accomplished on the floor.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
For sure, most.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Definitely we talk about the NIO situation all the time.
I know you probably asked some millions. Is it a
possibility to high schoolayers go back to the NBA straight?
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Maybe?
Speaker 1 (27:04):
But the nil impact you say, you got lesser people
in the drift this year. If you think that stuffing
is gonna be an on one issue, is it's just
a new transition Perio, because it's just new.
Speaker 2 (27:11):
Yeah, when you think about it, we don't, as I said,
we only have a two round draft. And the fact
I think it's really positive that some of these young
men are getting good information in essence and realizing that
they're unlikely to be one of the to be selected
in those two rounds. And if that's the case, and
they can remain in college and be paid and in
(27:33):
many cases paid significant amounts of money. That so one,
they're getting compensated for their skill and maybe even more importantly,
to extent they want to be professional basketball players. They're
getting real minutes, they're getting great coaching, and they're continuing
to train and improve at their craft. So it's a
(27:55):
win win for everybody as opposed to losing eligibility because
if somebody's convinced you that you're going to be a
top draft pick, not getting drafted, you can't go back
to college and now you're going to play maybe in
Europe or Asia or something else, as opposed to really
honing your skill and having your best shot at.
Speaker 4 (28:17):
Playing in the NBA.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
And the other thing is if you're not going to
be drafted and you're going back into school, it shouldn't
be lost that you're also you know, continuing to get
an education, because realistically, you may not have an opportunity
to play in the NBA. It may be great, you know,
it may to go play in Europe. There's great basketball
playing played around the world, but that may you know,
(28:39):
not compensate you at the same level as being in
the NBA. You may not be able to do it
for as long. So now you finish, you play for
three four years in Europe, whatever it is, but now
you have a college education and then you can go
out and then pursue another career. So I think the
fact that some of those young men are withdrawing their
names is very positive to me. That just means there's
(29:00):
better information out there in the marketplace.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Will we ever get back to kids being able to
come straight out of high school? Like, what that ever
be a thing again in the NBA? Do you think?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
You know, we've talked about that, you know, just so
everybody understands, like, that's not a decision we can make
on our own. It can only it has to be
negotiated with the players Association, And when we last discussed it,
I think that the general feeling from the teams and
the players is to extent that those young players have
that extra year. Honestly, whether it's in college or playing
(29:33):
in Europe. There it's better for the league because they
come in better skilled, with a little bit more maturity.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Gotch.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
We've talked about obviously the All Star format possibly being
the USA versus the world. We've got a lot of
great international players, a lot than one MVP. Recently, we
got camps around the world.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
Is there a.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Possibility that we could get an expansion scene that's not
in the United States.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Well, we have the Raptors, of course, but you know,
but around I know they're attached.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
It's not the same. Yeah, over time.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
I mean, one of the things we've been looking at
the league at the league is whether we can help
operate a new professional league in Europe. I mean, don't
get me wrong, there's incredible basketball being played in Europe,
and there's some really great teams, and you know, several
of our most recent MVPs have come from Europe. But
(30:27):
I think from a commercial standpoint, basketball professional basketball hasn't
been nearly as successful in Europe as the size of
the market might suggest. So that's one path I wouldn't
called expansion directly, but it's building off the NBA brand
and potentially doing more in Europe. To your direct question
(30:49):
about teams in Europe, I think over time, it's definitely possible.
Like I was in Paris last summer for the Olympics,
I mean, the interest was off the charts. I mean,
to me, it was the hottest sport there. I mean
like we were selling out every game, not just the
games involving USA, but you know, the gold medal game
was USA versus France.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
I mean the.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Game before the US Serbia game was some of the
best basketball I had seen. So there's great players, enormous interest.
I think part of the limitation is on players' bodies.
It's not just the length of the flight, but when
you're jumping multiple time zones, it's important guys get proper
rest for being on the floor.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
It's disruptive.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You know, there's people remember there used to be supersonic
jets that went back and forth from New York to Paris,
you know the Concorde that there's some commercial airliners now
who are talking about restoring supersonic jets. I mean, I
think that if the traveler faster, honestly, that would be
a game changer.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
It would make it easier to do.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
But as I said, I think the next step is
to sort of plan a flag in Europe, potentially with
the European League, and then go from there. But I
think if any league could do it, you could easily
imagine teams in Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin. I mean, it's
not for lack of interest, that's for.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Sure most of it. So you can imagine having a
back to back in Paris. Man.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
Yeah, like you said, that flight would have been crazy,
but it'd probably be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Though. I think guys will be open to playing in Paris.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
I've seen guys go over there for preseason games and
exhibition games, and they're like, it's cool to be over here.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
You got any adjustments that you would like to make
for the All Star All Star Game? You want to
bring some new take something out, Like how do you
feel about All Star Weekend?
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Well, the weekend itself, which we're not judged on. For
those who are there, it's fantastic. I mean I think
anybody who was in the Bay Area in San Francisco
last year, I mean there's tons of events and part ease,
and there's a fan festival kind of like this. I mean,
(33:04):
people love that experience there. The game itself, as we've
not put our best foot forward, and I think the
players recognize that. We recognize that. So, as you mentioned,
we're talking about changing the concept, doing something maybe close
to what the NHL did in the four nation faceoff.
I mean I think it if it were just straight
(33:24):
up USA World. As much as fans would love that,
I'm not sure be fair to the players because roughly
thirty percent of the players are from outside the United States,
so it wouldn't be fair to pick half the team
from thirty percent and the other half from seventy percent.
But I think we're looking I know we're looking at
different formats now talking the Players Association because we need
their agreement where we would use that concept again similar
(33:48):
to the NHL did, where you'd create that passion around
the USA playing other countries, other regions in the world.
I mean, I'm particularly excited about it. I'll just so
next year, our All Star Game is moving to NBC
where it was in the old days, and we'll be
in the middle of the Winter Olympics. So on the
Sunday when the All Star Game takes place, for TV watchers,
(34:12):
they'll be watching the Olympics, you know, all day. Then
you'll come to our All Star Game, and then after
All Star Game, we'll be going back to the Olympics.
So I'd love to play off that theme that we'll
be smack in the middle, as I said, of that
Olympic competition. So I think it's a it's a good
time for us to be looking at those formats.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Okay, cool, cool, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:33):
Oh I wanted to ask too though, So Lebron, you
know he's on his last leg.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Of the league.
Speaker 4 (34:38):
Yeah, you make sure you said that, not me.
Speaker 5 (34:40):
I'm saying that who you think that can fill that
void of like the new face of the NBA just
give me, Like.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
You know, I always say, like, you know, we don't
create those faces of the league office. They earn it
on the floor. It's interesting to watch these finals. Obviously
Shay is our MVP. Yeah, he was a scoring leader
this year, but again, I mean, he's having a great
final so far. But ultimately, Lebron is a face to
the league and Michael was and KD was and these
(35:07):
guys and Steph because they win championships. I mean, it's
looking fairness to any individual player. It's also a team sport,
and Lebron made that point the other day. Sure, but
look at sports are about competition, it's about winning. And
the great news is kind of like what I was
saying about the draft earlier. I don't have to sit
here and predict sort of who our next face of
(35:29):
the league is. They they earn it. You know, they
are established by what they do on the floor, and
it's it's great to see now this next generation. I
think in a way it's the best of all worlds
because Lebron is still at forty years old, playing an
incredibly high level. Steph is playing an incredibly high level
(35:49):
so is Kevin.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
You know.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
So, it's wonderful to see that generation still here mentoring
this next generation, but ultimately ultimately that this next generation
who want to take that mantle from them again, that
that's where the competitive juice is coming. They got to
earn it by demonstrating they deserve to be the face
of the league by their performance on the floor.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
That's definitely I wanted to ask.
Speaker 1 (36:14):
I think for all those basketball here in the off season,
we get to see all the players playing different situations
now which you're integrating the NBA, like having the Drew
League on the NBA APP, things of that nature. Is
that something that's like purposely saying, Okay, we're going to
embrace every aspect of this game and keep growing. Or
is this something organically you guys just like, you know what,
if everybody's rocking with this, we.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
Might as well include ourselves in that.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
I would say it's that's a case where it's definitely both.
I mean, what's cool about the Drew League or Rucker
or anything else is that it's truly organic. I can
take zero credit for that, but then we can be
very intentional about it and say the NBA APP is
a central repository of basketball, of every you know over time,
(36:56):
truly everything basketball, but right now, anything involving INNBA players
and NBA players are playing in those summer leagues, whether
it's summer leagues here in New York or in LA
or Drew or whatever else that you know, Especially one
thing about social media, it's not always fine. It's not
always easy to discover what you're looking for. If you
(37:17):
think about X or Instagram, whatever else, like those algorithms
are pretty good at feeding you more basketball, but you've
shown interest in it. But there's nothing like that ability
to go to the NBA app, and that is identifying
for you. If there's great basketball out there involving NBA
players off season or future NBA players, or what's happening
(37:38):
in Europe or Asia, we're gonna deliver it directly to
you and that and that's a place where we're trying
to get a lot more sophisticated, but we want to
take advantage of of of all that great all that
great content, all those great games that are already out there.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Most definitely for sure, now listen, I got the jersey on.
I'm saying the goat a lot of fans missed the
classic jerseys.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Is there a world where we could.
Speaker 1 (38:01):
Possibly have the All Star Game back into the original
uniforms of the players.
Speaker 4 (38:05):
You know, I'm looking around there.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
There's a there's a gentleman out there named Sala Raka,
and he oversees all of merchandising. So, Sally, you heard
that suit. Are you nodding your head? Yes, he's saying, yes,
we're gonna we're looking at that idea. No, it's we
We go back and forth like people want new uniform
they want Oh but I love.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
The idea of the of the classic jerseys.
Speaker 3 (38:24):
Hey, I love how you put him on the spot
there by start life. It's you. Hey.
Speaker 4 (38:29):
You know, the feedback from our fans is critically important.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
So thank you everybody, most definitely, Well listen, Commission, We
appreciate your time and makes Norse in Mississippi one time. Yeah,
thank you, thank you for having me, most definitely one
time for fanatic sex. Two pounds of Boots mobile twenty
five dollars unlimited tall text data what they had Team
G nationwide for shore. We appreciate you all, y'all be safe.
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Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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