The NBA is as entertaining now as it’s ever been. With players lighting it up from distance and an influx of stars making a name for themselves, there is a lot of buzz and excitement that coincides with the modern game.
But a lot of people will testify about how “weak” the NBA has become. Former players and long-time fans seem to have the mindset that the game now is much softer than it has been in years past. Stephen A. Smith, on ESPN’s First Take, agreed with that sentiment.
“I’m gonna say what Jalen Rose didn’t say. A lot of today’s players are just simply very very soft mentally,” Smith said. “Literally, there are players that I haven’t spoken to in years because I said they played like garbage the night before. That’s it. Or they showed up in a playoff game and disappeared. Last time I checked, you are playing in front of thousands of people in person, millions of people watching on television you’re putting your exploits on display for the human eye to witness and when you call it like you see it, it’s like you talked about their momma or their family or loved ones or something like that and it makes no sense what so ever. In that regard I think the game has definitely has changed.”
Of course, criticism has the chance to come with certain financial and legacy-related consequences (however small they may be). Smith also alluded to that side of things.
“Back in the day you talked to a lot of guys. Their whole thing is that they wanted the ability to able to confront you, to go face to face, man to man and have a conversation with you. They might question your knowledge, they might question your know-how, they might question your sources, they might question a multitude of things. But if you were somebody that was willing to walk into an arena, particularly inside of a locker room and you made yourself accessible to them they might rip you a nude one but after that you can shake hands and move on because you were willing to listen what they had to say and vice versa.”
It’s hard to argue with Stephen A. here. It seems players don’t take criticism very well nowadays whereas, in the past, players would set out to prove those critics wrong instead.
What do you think? Have players today gone soft mentally, or has the media been a little too critical?
