There was a ton of hoopla surrounding the NBA All Star game this past Sunday in New York City and as a pro hoops junkie, I watched the excuse of a basketball game the event has become. The real defining moment for me occurred about halfway through the first quarter when the network cameras showed two of the greatest players that ever laced up in the NBA sitting courtside.
Yes, Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson had front row seats for the annual extravaganza. As Lebron James ran by them, I asked myself if he truly understands, and as a result, respects what the two Hall of Famers did at the All Star game more than 50 years ago.
Just two days earlier, James accepted the position of vice president of the NBA Players Association (NBAPA) and along with President Chris Paul and Executive Director Michele Roberts, will head the efforts at the table when the NBAPA sits down to negotiate the next collective bargaining agreement with the NBA.
What do Robertson and Russell have to do with James you might say? Actually, everything and then some.
When they sat in that locker room in Boston in 1964 and informed the NBA Commissioner they would not play that night without their demands for a pension plan and better playing conditions being met, they were successful in putting the first collective bargaining process into play.
Their move was brilliant, as the game was set to be televised nationally for the first time, and the league could not fail to deliver the goods to their television partners and sponsors, who had paid substantially for the rights to televise it.
Having high profile stars at the table worked then and it can work again now for the NBAPA with the best player in the world joining the fight.
I say fight as the players can opt out of their ill advised 10-year deal in 2017, which coincidentally is when the new television deal begins.
Conventional wisdom says the players will indeed opt out and begin the protracted process of claiming a larger share of all basketball related revenue. That journey will not be an easy one and ultimately there may be yet another interruption of an NBA season as a result. Having James at the table strengthens the NBAPA, as he is the marquee attraction for fans around the world. Sure, he may not be the lead negotiator, but he can apply more pressure to the NBA than any other current player. His ties to Nike will bring a wealth of influence to the party, and many of the blue chip sponsors he represents also have business agreements with the NBA.
The main weapon King James enjoys is the respect of the players. They will follow him down the path to future prosperity representing a unified front, one that was lacking during the last negotiations with the NBA in which more than a few respected business analysts felt the players gave back too much to the owners, and by all accounts, took a huge step backwards financially for the sake of getting a deal done. While the thought of bickering over a multi billion dollar pie is sickening to many working folks, it is business, and business is good in the NBA today, both here at home and abroad globally.
They may not be the NFL, but they don’t need to pass the hat either, and the players know that. Being an executive with the NBAPA gives James increased credibility with his peers (as if he needs any) and it puts the league on notice that the biggest chip the players union has is present and accounted for.
While time will tell if James can force his will upon the NBA just as Robertson and Russell did, there could not be a greater opportunity for that to happen than now. Since taking over for David Stern, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has preached the importance of enhancing revenues, and has even gone as far as stating the time to allow legal wagering on NBA contests in every state is now. This guy gets it from a business perspective and he wants to keep the monies flowing in for the owners. To show he meant business when he arrived, he jettisoned Donald Sterling from the league and he played a pivotal role in the substantial success the owners achieved at the table during the last negotiations. James can help level that advantage out, and in the process be recognized for something other than his phenomenal playing career in the process. To date he has never backed down from a challenge in his career, whether it be changing his playing address or speaking out on important social issues. However, the 2017 negotiations with the NBA will not be a cakewalk and he needs to bring his “A” game to the boardroom.
Reaching out to the iconic duo of Roberston and Russell for counsel on these matters, is indeed an excellent first step. Something tells me James will do just that, and what plays out next should be fun to watch.
Danny Bridges, who thinks the world will see in 2017 just how influential Lebron James will be off the court, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
