Is Basketball Headed In The Wrong direction? by Ike C.

 Is Basketball Headed In The Wrong direction?

Basketball is improving in talent but decreasing in morals with every new generation. With all the exposure and negative influence going around in the new area of youth sports most kids have become cocky, arrogant, and flat out disrespectful. One of the biggest youth leagues in the world  “The Amatur Althletic union” also known as “AAU” is one of the disgusting ways to play organized basketball for example “The steady evolution has left AAU basketball in the hands of sleazy, money-hungry businessmen rather than conscientious adults with the kids’ best interests at heart”( King). The owners of youth basketball leagues are more focused on making money rather than making young athletes fall in love with the sport.

This incoming generation will be the most influential and impressive basketball group the world will have ever seen. There are 32 top ranked 5-star athletes. While just being in their teens they are receiving brand recognition such as signing with shoe brands, headphones, etc. They are not only getting brand deals but also incentives to join certain college and pro basketball teams. Colleges like Duke, the University Of Kentucky, and Kansas university all will use “gifts” to persuade a commitment to their college. A great example of this is Cooper Flagg and his recent commitment to Duke. Cooper has been in contact with Duke’s coaching staff since his 8th grade year. Not only have they persuaded him with valuables but also with relationships between him and the coaches. Jon Scheyer, the first year head coach at Duke has built a relationship with Cooper over the years. “entrusting arguably college basketball’s biggest brand in what was then a 34-year-old with no head coaching experience and no coaching experience at all outside of the Duke ecosystem was a major gamble(Sweeny)”. Even though joining a team with a first year coach with only one style of play is so risky Cooper took this chance because of the trust he and head coach Jon Scheyer have.

College athletes are being paid millions of dollars with N.I.L (name, imagine, likeness) deals. Hansel Emmanual, a one armed hooper from the Dominican Republic has blown up on various social media platforms for his incredible talent while just possessing one arm. “an annual value of $1.4 million. The inspiring Emmanuel, who is missing one arm, started his college career at Northwestern State after becoming a high school sensation at Life Christian Academy in Florida. The guard has deals with Adidas, T-Mobile, and Gatorade and boasts 4.3 million combined followers between Instagram and TikTok(LW)”. While  just entering his second year in college he is already making more than most professional athletes. Social media is taking over youth basketball. A young child will see their favorite player acting out a celebration and they will copy it down to the exact movement. Based on  the negative actions that pro athletes are portraying on social media the next generation is set for failure.