3 ideas for non-competition NBA quarantine content

2K and H.O.R.S.E. try to replace competition with lesser competition. The league should look at the content desert from a different angle.

Apr 06, 2020

Good morning. Let’s consider the cost-benefit analysis of tossing out our sourdough starter and ordering some active dry yeast instead.

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The NBA had the first round of its 2K Players Tournament on Friday and Sunday. Broadcasting NBA players facing off with each other in a video game does not seem like the wave of the future, at least without a commentator stirring the pot and getting them to talk. Here’s the full six-minute “fun moments” reel that actually has like three fun moments (including the above Andre Drummond red cup taunting) from EIGHT HOURS OF ACTION.

The best moment is Rui Hachimura’s legit excitement at narrowly beating Donovan Mitchell.

TSN @TSN_Sports

Right down to the wire! Donovan Mitchell had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but the shot rims out and Rui Hachimura is FIRED UP to advance in the 2K tournament 👏f

Maybe this translated for a younger generation (I watch some esports, not sports games though.) Maybe it worked better on Twitch with live chat going (I’m skeptical about that) than on ESPN. Maybe if you add a host it livens up some. But you can’t bank on this to tide the audience over.

Good news: it appears the 2K tournament is just one of several ideas the NBA is cooking up with ESPN to get some fresh new content on T.V. Bad news: the other idea is something that was so boring the last time the NBA did it that it got yanked out of All-Star Weekend. That’s right: too boring for All-Star Weekend.

Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn

The NBA and ESPN are working on televising a H-O-R-S-E competition involving several high-profile players, sources say. Players would shoot in isolation – presumably in home gyms – and match shots against competitors. Details are still being finalized.

And those short-lived All-Star H.O.R.S.E. competitions had the benefit of having the competitors all on the same court! This one is going to be even more awkward if players are using home courts that don’t have identical markings and whatnot. On one hand, I can’t wait to become a soft rim truther. On the other hand, don’t get your hopes up about Quarantine H.O.R.S.E.

We’re used to seeing these incredible, skilled athletes compete at the highest level in a beautiful sport. Competing in lesser challenges is never going to be as rewarding.

Here are three ideas for quarantine NBA content I think might be a little better.

Live commentary on classic games. ESPN, NBA TV and local sports networks have been playing recent classic games regularly. Get some of the players from these games involved in offering live commentary during the broadcast with a skilled interviewer moderating. You might have trouble getting players to do games their team lost, but for the superstars maybe you can pull off a trade: Kevin Durant gets to do the 2017 or 2018 Finals game of his choice if he’ll do commentary with Klay Thompson on 2016 Game 6. It’d be great to get some coaches involved with this, too, as long as a retired or semi-retired coach isn’t asking the questions.

Live workouts. I’d definitely watch an hour in primetime that consisted of Stephen Curry running through his shooting drills while mic’d up and explaining the purpose of each step. Or an hour of LeBron James doing conditioning work while answering questions about fitness. Or a virtual Giannis Antetokounmpo Peloton class. (Note: I don’t have a Peloton.) This could spread out to film study — how does Dame Lillard watch tape to prepare for opponents? — and nutrition. (Which makes me wonder: are NBA players cooking for themselves right now?)

Conversations with legends. NBA stars almost universally respect those who came before them. And everyone has their favorite. It’d be really cool to get some current stars matched up with legends they look up to for live conversations (moderated of course). The NBA and Turner already produce some taped shows like this, but usually without current NBA players — just run it live to boost the excitement factor and maybe capture the zeitgeist. Let’s see Anthony Davis chop it up with Scottie Pippen, or Jayson Tatum chat with Bill Russell and Kevin Garnett. Let’s watch Arvydas and Domantas Sabonis have a basketball conversation.

Right now, the NBA is trying to replace competition with competition. Instead, the league could use this unprecedented, unusual situation to get bored, casual fans invested in the lore of the NBA and to feed committed fans content a little closer to the real thing.