We are about to hit the apex of the Summer semester. That means a lot of studying and stress the further we dwell into July. Of course, for any males in decent shape and more than 6 feet tall, there is a tempting alternative to compete with countless of hours of studying. They could drop their books right now, head to the gym and start practicing their jump shots. The NBA is calling their names.
Adults view their childhood fantasies of becoming professional athletes as nothing more than that: fantasies. However, for children, their dreams of one day becoming superstars are alive and well. Kids play simply because they want to play. Adults, too, could play basketball to their heart’s content, but other factors come into play. A big factor is the fact that one with mediocre talent cannot make money playing basketball. At least that was the thought process a decade ago, but the game at the professional level has changed.
It would be one thing if NBA players made the insane amount of money they do because they are the best athletes in the world and fans demand their sport more than any other, but that’s far from the reality. Not only is basketball not the most popular sport globally, it isn’t even the most popular sport in the U.S. The NFL racks in more money and fans than the NBA, yet NFL stars make half of what NBA players make. NBA free agency began two weeks ago, and the contracts signed so far reveal the association heading in the wrong direction.
Most of the contracts are noticeable not because of the players’ talent, but the lack thereof. Matthew Dellavedova, a player who played sparingly in the 2016 NBA Finals, signed a 4-year, $38.4 million contract. Tyler Johnson, a third-string guard for the Miami Heat, will go from making half of a million dollars last year to $12.5 million next year. These players are subpar, at best, though they will earn more money than stars of other professional sports.
The mentality for children to play basketball was different back in the 1990s: “Be Like Mike.” It wasn’t for his money but to play the game itself. Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. According to Roland Lazenby, the author of “Michael Jordan: The Life,” Michael Jordan earned a $4 million salary in his 1994-95 season with the Chicago Bulls. Then again, the average annual salary for a player this past season was about $4 million. A handful of second-tier players – Damian Lillard, Marc Gasol, Jimmy Butler – have contracts that will earn them more money in a five-year span than Michael Jordan made in 16 NBA seasons.
NBA teams have the revenue and salary caps to sign million-dollar contracts at a level that would’ve been impossible a couple of years ago. Fans are in awe to watch players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry play because it seems impossible that a human could do such things. However, paying subpar players superstar money may give children the wrong idea.
The debate over the strange salary distributions between professional male athletes and occupations that actually matter is not new, but the obscene NBA contracts this month is the breaking point. Yes, in moderation, kids playing sports, both boys and girls, builds diligence, dedication and patience to the goals children pursue in the future when their lives progress beyond a field or court.
Eventually, like those older, children will learn that they all aren’t cut out to become the next LeBron James. But the next Matthew Dellavedova? Such ludicrous NBA contracts for the backup’s backup will make it tougher for kids to put down the ball and pursue more meaningful purposes.
Joshua Udvardy is a UF mechanical engineering sophomore. His column appears on Thursdays.
