Nowadays, it seems like pro athletes are getting worshipped more than ever before.
Being an NBA player, or any kind of pro-sports athlete, often comes with an insane amount of perks, both financially and culturally. Whether it’s the money or simply the status, athletes have become some of the biggest types of celebrities there is on planet earth.
And in a recent interview on “The Old Man & The Three,” OKC center Steven Adams spoke about that reality, and why it’s such a crazy, twisted thing that today’s culture (specifically in the U.S.A.) has normalized.
“You kind of get detached from reality because a lot of a people will just, like, kiss your ass. And you know, you’re the funny guy. They laugh at all your jokes. You become a lot more handsome. You know, this is what comes with the NBA logo. If you wear it, it’s quite amazing. But it’s just not reality though. You know what I mean? It is for your stint, I guess. But for whatever else it’s not. So that culture change is really crazy, especially in America too. The athletes here are held really high, and a lot of players should be, once they reach a certain level. But it kind of goes across everything. Some people look at them for political guidance. Moral guidance. It’s just like, maybe just maybe just for the sport, look for this dude. But for some other things go to some of these other guys.”
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The exact amount of power and esteem held by pro athletes is definitely subjective, but it’s hard to argue that they don’t have a sizeable degree of influence over society.
NBA role-players are often looked to by fans for things beyond the game of basketball, such as politics and ethics. For Adams, it’s putting athletes on a pedestal that is higher than it should be.
Whatever your thoughts, it is quite eye-opening when you think about how much of a footprint a lot of NBA ballers have on the community, society, and those who surround them — simply because of what they can do with a ball.
