By Staff
Apparently, National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern has never heard the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
After 35 years, the NBA has decided to make a change to its basketball.
The league announced the decision back in June.
With NBA training camps opening up this week, the new design has drawn less than impressive reviews.
The biggest change is that the ball is no longer leather. Its composition is a microfiber design that is supposed to give players a better grip.
Some players feel that a "stickier" ball wasn't needed.
The ball was originally tested at the 2005 All-Star Game.
The league asked Spaulding to make some changes and it was re-introduced at this year's All-Star game and used in the developmental league.
The NBA contends that since most high schools and colleges do not use leather balls any more, their players grew up using a composition basketball.
Most high schools and colleges do not use leathers ball due to cost, not design.
You would think the National Basketball Association could afford some leather.
The NBA got the "spin" rolling back in June with Boston Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce, who said leather balls are not consistent. He said they needed to be broken in before they feel right. He added that balls feel different from arena to arena.
The new design also has done away with the old eight-panel design and replaced it with two panels.
Pierce and the NBA claim that all the balls will now bounce the same and have the same amount of grip.
That sounds good in theory. But let's face it, every court in the NBA doesn't have the same bounce.
For years, the old Boston Garden had "dead spots" in the floor. The home team knew where they were and used it to their advantage.
The new ball will be similar and may even be a little more consistent than its leather predecessor, but we still feel there was no need for a change.
It would be like the National Football League adding a tail on its football so it flew better through the air. Or, how about baseball making the ball a little smaller so pitchers could grip it better? Some things don't need to be changed.
A league may change the company that produces the balls or pucks, but there really is no need to change the design.
If the NBA is looking to provide a better product for its fans, perhaps it ought to invest in teaching their players the fundamentals of the game.