The NCAA released a press statement on
February 6th, 2015 announcing that during the NIT tournament, taking
place in late March, that they were going to experiment with reducing the shot
clock from 35 seconds down to 30 seconds.
The restricted arc under the basket is also being increased from 3 feet in diameter to 4 feet.
Both of these parameters are standard in international games played under the rules established by FIBA.
The restricted arc under the basket is also being increased from 3 feet in diameter to 4 feet.
Both of these parameters are standard in international games played under the rules established by FIBA.
So the question begs to be asked – is this
really an experiment to try to increase scoring in the NCAA or is this
experiment just a ruse for the eventual rule changes in May so that the NCAA
players are better prepped for international tournaments?
According to the NCAA the average scoring last year was 67.5 which was the lowest since the 1951-52 season. The idea of shortening the shot clock and increasing the restricted arc will lead to more possessions which should parlay into more scoring and exciting games.
It isn’t as if attendance or viewership has changed. The Final Four tournament is still pulling 20 million plus ever final while averaging over 10 million per round leading to the finals. To put that in perspective this year’s Superbowl drew 115 million (by far the winner), the NBA finals 18 million on the final game (and averaged 15.5 million in the games previous), and the World Series drew 19 million on the final game (and averaged around 14.9 million in the other games).
In 2014 Team USA saw no less than 5 players withdraw their name from the international roster. Most famous was Kevin Durant who cited ‘physical and mental fatigue’ as his reason to withdraw. Other notable withdrawals were Blake Griffin, Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge and NBA finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. Durant’s stepping down also came on the heels of the leg break of Paul George which has kept George off the line-ups of the Indiana Pacers all season so far.
The 2014 World Championship also saw Manu
Ginobli not play for Argentina because the San Antonio Spurs laid down the law,
and only exemption they could use, in stating Ginobli was not medically
cleared.
In 2008 the Toronto Raptors
tried the same thing with Jorge Garbajosa after he recovered from a broken leg
but Spain snubbed their nose at the franchise and list Garbajosa on their
roster. The led to Toronto buying out Garbajosa’s contract and releasing him. No other NBA team touched him afterwards.
Many owners have publicly backed the trials
of the NBA going to the FIBA run events but secretly how many have the same
feelings as outspoken critic Mark Cuban?
He’s been very vocal against the usage of players stating that the NBA pays the players salary and FIBA is generating income off of free usage of these players.
He’s been very vocal against the usage of players stating that the NBA pays the players salary and FIBA is generating income off of free usage of these players.
With FIBA having publicly discussed going
to a more soccer style age restriction format for the Olympics, that being a
team of under 23 year olds with 3 exemptions, many in the NBA are voicing
displeasure. Kobe Bryant referred to the
idea as ‘stupid’ and LeBron James stated he’d stop playing international games
if that occurred.
The players seem to like the idea of going to the Olympics and for that reason alone the NBA hasn’t withdrawn…yet. The 2016 Olympics in Brazil will feature NBA players but what about 2020? Apparently no one is sure the NBA will partake in sending players.
The Olympics have been good exposure to the NBA with their televised growth having gone from being watched in 88 countries in 1992 when The Dream Team played Barcelona to now being seen in 217 countries. The number of foreign players has jumped from 23 international players representing 18 countries in the NBA in 1992 to a total of 74 players representing 35 countries.
The league may have hit its apex in
exposure and possibly the owners are thinking “we’re big enough to stand on our
own”. Once that happens the Olympics,
and FIBA, will have a harder time selecting players to play from the NBA
ranks.
College players, whom were selected until the creation of The Dream Team, will be back in the fold as representing the USA. Maybe USA Basketball is aware of this and having the NCAA ‘test’ these new rules are just a precursor to training the college athletes to be better prepared internationally once they get that call again.
College players, whom were selected until the creation of The Dream Team, will be back in the fold as representing the USA. Maybe USA Basketball is aware of this and having the NCAA ‘test’ these new rules are just a precursor to training the college athletes to be better prepared internationally once they get that call again.
