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I've noticed that whenever the NCAA tournament plays games in NYC, ESPN always calls the city the BBall capital, but why? Aside from ESPN's east coast bias they always say that, but Knicks havent won since the '70s, and theirs no college power in the city. LA probably has better credentials to be a capital than NYC. You got the Lakers and Bruins, legendary figures like Magic, Kareem, Baylor, Worthy, Wilt, Jerry West, Kobe, Shaq, John Wooden, Chick Hern all made their names here and schools like Westchester, Fairfax, and Crenshaw are basketball factories. Hell even Boston has better history than NYC.
I definitely have a heavy NYC bias when it comes to basketball. But I also realize that most of the talent comes from cities and regions outside of New York: it's not like NYC has a monopoly on playground or pro-potential talent in any way, shape, or form.
So why is NYC considered the basketball capital? Well, as others have mentioned, the East Coast bias and basketball politics has a lot to do with it. I mean, I'm sure Lou Carneseca of St. Johns was great and all, but I really cannot believe he was better or greater than a lot of college coaches who were out there. Yet, he is always prominently featured in the Hall-of-Fame and whenever cameras show him in the stands, and broadcasters gush about how great he was.
But what does the NYC have that nobody else has? It is home to the main offices of the NBA. Almost all the main operations are located around here. The NBA draft takes place here, the lottery takes place in East Rutherford, and MSG is almost universally regarded as the mecca of pro as well as college basketball. Not to mention, of course, the huge media presence that dwarfs the media presence of every other city, bar none.
So just like any other industry, the NBA and David Stern probably just feel that a large city with a huge number of connections is the best place to keep your main offices in. That, and the fact that David Stern was and always will be a Knick fan.
it's a title they've worn for decades and it's just stuck - the history is steeped in playground summer leagues, strong college presence, city championships, home of the NIT (at the time the big college championship) and even one of the biggest point shaving scandals, etc
in the formative years of the sport NYC was a leader in developing the game
although, a lot of it has fallen off and is basically nostalgia now
I know Spike Lee goes to Knicks games and there's that famous neighborhood court in the movies and commercials, but basketball is just as much associated with Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina as it is the great big city.
It's fascinating to read a bunch of postings by people who evidently don't know much basketball history. If you can only go back as far as the 70s or 80s, then I can see why people in other parts of the country might object to New York being called the "basketball capital." Open up a history book, learn about the game.
As for LA, it's kind of funny to think of a transplant team representing anything like a basketball capital. Yeah, I said transplant. Check your atlas: there's not a lake within hundreds of miles of Los Angeles. Where do you think the name came from? The team was born in Minneapolis. (Can you say, George Mikan?)
Exactly, you have to read up on history to know why. Maybe it's a bit outdated but you can't forget the past. And FYI, Kobe never went to Indiana or Boston or LA to play street ball. He went to Rucker Park.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fred314X
It's fascinating to read a bunch of postings by people who evidently don't know much basketball history. If you can only go back as far as the 70s or 80s, then I can see why people in other parts of the country might object to New York being called the "basketball capital." Open up a history book, learn about the game.
As for LA, it's kind of funny to think of a transplant team representing anything like a basketball capital. Yeah, I said transplant. Check your atlas: there's not a lake within hundreds of miles of Los Angeles. Where do you think the name came from? The team was born in Minneapolis. (Can you say, George Mikan?)
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