2021 into 2022 OFFSEASON News and Notes

[Atlantaholic]

1 hour ago, marco102 said:

This is the exact opposite. Luka and Jokic get extra praise because neither is athletic, but highly skilled.

I think Luka hype is:

• Analysts have been talking about him since he was around 16 and there's nothing that they love more than looking like they are smart so they keep hyping him as much as possible
• Pretty boy
• Plays in Dallas

Jokic doesn't really get any hype whatsoever on a national level outside of people that know their stuff. 

[AHF]

Just now, Atlantaholic said:

Jokic doesn't really get any hype whatsoever on a national level outside of people that know their stuff. 

Fully agree on that.

Luka gets press and attention like Yao Ming, LeBron James and only a handful of other players over the last 20 years.  The pump was definitely primed for him and the media has somewhat slavishly lavished praise on him ever since.  Good news for basketball fans is that at least he looks to be a legit HOFer in the making so it isn't as obnoxious as it would be if he wasn't as good as he is.  The issue isn't him getting a ton of attention as much as it is him getting more attention than other players.

[bleachkit]

2 hours ago, marco102 said:

This is the exact opposite. Luka and Jokic get extra praise because neither is athletic, but highly skilled.

We just detailed how Jokic is the most unheralded MVP in recent memory despite his incredible season. Let me know when kids are waiting in line to buy the new Jokic shoes. 

[marco102]

6 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

We just detailed how Jokic is the most unheralded MVP in recent memory despite his incredible season. Let me know when kids are waiting in line to buy the new Jokic shoes. 

How can you be unheralded as the MVP?  

 

[bleachkit]

49 minutes ago, Atlantaholic said:

I think Luka hype is:

• Analysts have been talking about him since he was around 16 and there's nothing that they love more than looking like they are smart so they keep hyping him as much as possible
• Pretty boy
• Plays in Dallas

Jokic doesn't really get any hype whatsoever on a national level outside of people that know their stuff. 

Luka's hype is because of his incredibly play and crazy numbers at a young age. 

Just now, marco102 said:

How can you be unheralded as the MVP?  

 

Have you been reading this thread? We aren't talking about NBA writers here. 

[marco102]

1 minute ago, bleachkit said:

Luka's hype is because of his incredibly play and crazy numbers at a young age. 

Have you been reading this thread? We aren't talking about NBA writers here. 

So you're complaining about casuals. What's the point in doing that? 

You just made it seem like because they were European they get no attention.  They get plenty of attention.

Edited October 6, 2021 by marco102

[bleachkit]

31 minutes ago, marco102 said:

So you're complaining about casuals. What's the point in doing that? 

You just made it seem like because they were European they get no attention.  They get plenty of attention.

Marketers care about casuals, that's who they sell shoes to. Being a White Euro does not help in that regard. Why do you think Porzingus was mercilessly booed on draft night? Fans there probably didn't know a thing about him, besides the fact that he was a White Euro, so they booed him. It's unfortunate, but hopefully the tide is starting to turn. 

[marco102]

18 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

Marketers care about casuals, that's who they sell shoes to. Being a White Euro does not help in that regard. Why do you think Porzingus was mercilessly booed on draft night? Fans there probably didn't know a thing about him, besides the fact that he was a White Euro, so they booed him. It's unfortunate, but hopefully the tide is starting to turn. 

Luka had no problem signing a very large contract with Jordan brand right out of Europe. 

Of course casuals won't know much about European fans initially because their games aren't broadcast here. Has nothing to do with them being white.  You seem to have excluded Giannis from this when you added "white " European players.

If they are good, they will get the accolades and attention. Pretty sure most fans don't care about the color of the player or marketers for that matter. Just be great and it'll come.

Edit: also has to do with Market. If Joker was in NY, LA, Chicago or Miami we would get sick of hearing about him.

Edited October 6, 2021 by marco102

[bleachkit]

20 minutes ago, marco102 said:

Luka had no problem signing a very large contract with Jordan brand right out of Europe. 

Of course casuals won't know much about European fans initially because their games aren't broadcast here. Has nothing to do with them being white.  You seem to have excluded Giannis from this when you added "white " European players.

If they are good, they will get the accolades and attention. Pretty sure most fans don't care about the color of the player or marketers for that matter. Just be great and it'll come.

Edit: also has to do with Market. If Joker was in NY, LA, Chicago or Miami we would get sick of hearing about him.

I'm aware not all Europeans are White, our own Clint for example. I'm also aware these things are multi-factorial, as you noted. But it's also true that international players, particularly White ones from Europe are viewed with scepticism from casuals, like Porzingus getting booed on draft night. That does hurt marketability, at least initially. Of course, ultimately your play is what will win out. The league is a meritocracy generally speaking, but the marketing side not so much. 

[terrell]

18 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

I'm aware not all Europeans are White, our own Clint for example. I'm also aware these things are multi-factorial, as you noted. But it's also true that international players, particularly White ones from Europe are viewed with scepticism from casuals, like Porzingus getting booed on draft night. That does hurt marketability, at least initially. Of course, ultimately your play is what will win out. The league is a meritocracy generally speaking, but the marketing side not so much. 

That was  Knicks fans..And the draft was in NY..They bood Jordan Hill too..lol

Hell, I wouldve bood plenty of Hawks past picks if the draft was in Atlanta..

Edited October 6, 2021 by terrell

[RandomFan]

5 hours ago, kg01 said:

Haha, it should vex everyone.

But I have a special message for rando ...

[Final_quest]

I think Jokic is just difficult to market.  Tim Duncan wasn’t very marketable either.  Awesome game but not much flash.  Also, kind of a goofy personality.  

[bleachkit]

1 hour ago, Final_quest said:

I think Jokic is just difficult to market.  Tim Duncan wasn’t very marketable either.  Awesome game but not much flash.  Also, kind of a goofy personality.  

They use to say being big makes you harder to market, but Shaq might be the third most marketed player of all time, behind MJ and LeBron. To this day Shaq is still a marketing machine, spokesman for Papa John's and other companies.

[JayBirdHawk]

5 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

They use to say being big makes you harder to market, but Shaq might be the third most marketed player of all time, behind MJ and LeBron. To this day Shaq is still a marketing machine, spokesman for Papa John's and other companies.

Shaq had personality out the Wazoo - just a different mold.

[Sothron]

1 hour ago, Final_quest said:

I think Jokic is just difficult to market.  Tim Duncan wasn’t very marketable either.  Awesome game but not much flash.  Also, kind of a goofy personality.  

The goofy personality should make it easier to market Jokic. His main issue on that side of pro basketball is his very pronounced accent when he speaks. Jokic's game is a perfect combination of street and skill. I have never in my life seen a more complete offensive center than Jokic. He looks like something out of And 1 and also out of 1960's Celtics with incredible fundamentals. How many guys can say that have that kind of game?

If he can speak English better which will let his goofy/funny personality come through I do think he'll get viewed more and in a more positive light. 

And even if that never happens his game is honestly a joy to watch. I don't care if you like or hate the Nuggets but watching Jokic play is worth the price of admission alone. Thank the basketball gods he got drafted to a team and a coach that could see what he could do and let him develop instead of forcing him into a role. 

4 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Shaq had personality out the Wazoo - just a different mold.

This is true. It is also that "Shaq" can be pronounced in any language and I distinctly remember a 90's ESPN story on  him when he was with the Magic where that came out and Shaq said it made him very marketable to international sponsors.

[Final_quest]

Shaq is different.  
 

I know that there is a height psychology where the taller you are the more respect you get.  That changes when you hit around 6’7”, when you get thought of like a circus freak.  NBA is different than the general public, but still the 7 footers might be in a different zone.  Maybe it takes someone like Shaq to break through that psychological barrier.  

[kg01]

Nobody likes Jokic.  Not because he's a certain color, nationality, race, etc.  It's because no one likes him.  He's boring.  Don't even speak Shaq's name with his.

[Spud2nique]

18 hours ago, Atlantaholic said:

Pretty boy

[Atlantaholic]

17 hours ago, bleachkit said:

Luka's hype is because of his incredibly play and crazy numbers at a young age. 

Have you been reading this thread? We aren't talking about NBA writers here. 

Nah, he was getting that hype before his numbers and play. The very first day he was drafted all the talk was about how he was the best player in the draft and since the analysts got it right now they can't stop talking about him.

[Spud2nique]