One of the biggest talking points when it comes to the NBA in recent years has been load management, with some of the biggest names opting to sit out of games with greater regularity. Players have come under heavy criticism for it, as it has been viewed as disrespectful and shots have been fired at them from all corners.
Charles Barkley has been one of the more vocal critics of it while commissioner Adam Silver has also addressed the issue numerous times at this point. It is a real cause for concern for the NBA but one individual has questioned where the term has come from.
Kyrie Irving, always the one to question things, feels the term is dehumanizing NBA players and he wonders where it originated from.
Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving: “I don’t know who created the term ‘load management.’ … I don’t know who started the narrative but it’s completely run amok. I think it’s dehumanized some of us in terms of the way we prepare ourselves day to day. This is a 24/7 job.” pic.twitter.com/yhAmmRx5Qr
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 18, 2023
“I don’t know who created the term ‘load management.’ or guys sitting out games or this narrative that continues to play on about star players or guys not being available. I don’t know who started the narrative but it’s completely run amok. I think it’s dehumanized some of us in terms of just the way we prepare ourselves day to day. This is a 24/7 job.”
“We have cameras on us all the time. it’s a high-level combative sport, it’s very aggressive. Nobody knows how anyone else’s body feels. The only person that knows is the person that’s hurt or injured. We try our best to tell you guys what’s going on but you have doctors online telling everybody that he needs to be back in 2 weeks. This person over here saying that he’s not really hurt, he doesn’t want to play. So, I think the narratives have run amok.”
The term load management in an NBA context can probably be traced back to when the Philadelphia 76ers used it for Joel Embiid in the 2017-18 season. The concept itself has been around for quite a while, with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich resting his stars quite often during their dynastic run.
It is a bit of a stretch to say the term is dehumanizing though but it isn’t really a surprise that Kyrie took it to that extreme. He is right when he says only the player himself knows the pain they are in and it is unfair for someone else to judge them for it.
Stephen Curry Spoke On The Misconception Regarding Load Management
Stephen Curry and some of his teammates have also come under fire for load management and the guard wanted to clear up the misconception regarding it. He made it clear that it isn’t the player who tells the training staff that he wants to sit out, but that it is the other way around.
He added that there is a science behind it and there indeed is. The training staff nowadays gets to know when a player might be at risk of injury if they play a game and they stop them from stepping out on the court if that is the case. Whether you like it or not, this advancement in science is one of the biggest reasons why athletes are able to extend their careers, which is a big positive.
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