By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photos: Dorothy J. Gentry
BOSTON – Commissioner Adam Silver provided insight on both the NBA and the WNBA’s growing global presence, the future of the league’s media rights, the increasing presence of international players, the passing of the legendary Bill Walton and more during his State of the league address Thursday night prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
ON THE RECENT PASSING OF BILL WALTON:
“Of course, Bill won two championships with the Boston Celtics, but also covered multiple NBA Finals for NBC and then ABC. He and his wife, Lori, often sat at these press conferences, usually somewhere over there. The (Celtics) team was looking for a way to honor him tonight, and in addition to a pregame moment, the (Celtics) players are going to be wearing a special Bill Walton shooting shirt.
He’ll be missed, and my condolences to Lori (wife) and his four boys. It’s a sad moment in the league.
ON THE NBA’S INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE:
I know there are 26 different countries represented here today with media members, so I want to thank you for traveling so far to be here. In addition, these Finals will be carried in 214 countries and territories. This group of players will represent the largest contingent of international players ever we’ve had in the Finals; 13 players of the combined two teams were born outside of the United States. So the global growth of the NBA continues unabated.
Basketball as a sport continues to grow enormously on a global basis. Wonderful to see how much is happening in the women’s game, as well, in the WNBA here in the United States, and we’re looking forward to the Paris Olympics, where basketball will be a mainstay, men’s and women’s. Another exciting time.
ON THE NBA’S PENDING LONG-TERM MEDIA RIGHTS DEAL:
I don’t want to cover specifically what’s been written in the media other than to say I would just say plural, where you say TV deal, it’s TV deals. Of course, there’s discussions with our incumbents and other interested parties.
It is incredibly complex. And it’s complicated for several reasons. One is the advent of new platforms, particularly streaming, and the interest of streaming companies, and then the traditional media companies also carrying our games on streaming platforms.
It’s complicated with multiple partners all seeking similar assets. In many cases, just figuring out the right way to balance those games as they go to different partners.
Then lastly, we tend to do long-term deals. We think that’s good for the stability of the league, but it means to a certain extent you’re trying to predict the future, which is of course impossible.
So part of it is a bet on the partners that we will ultimately align with and their ability also to adjust with the times and their willingness to continue to invest in media and also become global, which to my earlier point is very important to the league, as well.
ON THE GROWING INTEREST AND CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING CAITLIN CLARK AND EXISTING WNBA PLAYERS:
I think ultimately this is very healthy for women’s basketball and the WNBA. It’s generating tremendous additional interest. In fairness to the other players and in fairness to Commissioner Engelbert, this didn’t just start this year. Certainly we’re seeing an acceleration of it with Caitlin, but many individual stars who came in this league in the last several years.
And then, again, I’ve been with the league for a long time. So I was there in the early days with Val Ackerman, and of course David Stern, when we developed the WNBA. In some ways, to me, this was a long time coming. If you went back and looked at our original business plan from 28 years ago, we didn’t think it would be such a long timeline to break into the popularity we’re seeing now.
Ultimately, I don’t want to make too big of an issue about one particular player, one particular call. But I think the burgeoning rivalries within professional basketball, you see rivalries obviously among clubs but also among individual players, too, and I think that can be ultimately good for the sport.
But at the same time, there’s also some larger societal issues at work. There’s no doubt. I don’t want to hide from that. Some having to do with race, and they’re very apparent. I think sports historically has been a platform for people to talk directly about these issues. I don’t think we should hide from them, and I think the players are happy to engage on these issues. They’re sophisticated people. But ultimately let the public join part of those conversations, as well, and of course the media will weigh in.
ON THE LEAGUE POTENTIALLY HAVING AN INTERNATIONAL PLAYER BE THE FACE OF THE LEAGUE:
I’m absolutely fine with that. It’s interesting, times change. There used to be concerns even geographically of players from a certain part of the country and how will they feel about that player in that market, because the player played for a top college somewhere else or from somewhere else.
I think it’s increasingly a global league in that wherever that player is from, and Luka Doncic is a great example, Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee, I think if that player becomes part of that community, lives in that community, gives of himself or herself in the WNBA to that community, I think they become part and parcel. I don’t think it’s any different that I went to Duke University and when a player is playing for Duke and Duke fans are all in, they’re not so focused on where that player is from, whether in the United States or Luol Deng or other players from outside the United States.
It’s a global market. At the same time, I will say to my earlier point, it is important that we focus on proper development of American players. I just think for the sport, still we’re a U.S.-based business, the majority of our revenue still comes from the United States. I feel an obligation to the game, as well, and I know I speak for the head of the NCAA, who played college basketball.
Over time, like for example, we’re up to about 30 percent of our players are international. When you think about the amount of basketball being played globally and the U.S. is a little less than 5 percent of the global population, that number of international players will only rise. Statistically, you’re going to see more top-notch international players in the league. It doesn’t mean, though, that there won’t still be great U.S. players, many of whom we’re going to see on the court in the Finals.
