Took 40 years
Seventies eighties basketball did not have ESPN. There was basketball digest magazine. The mighty class of 1981 featuring Michael Jordan let us believe, we could fly like Mike.
A few tweaks to NCAA slash ABA rules proved we couldn't..
Circus acrobatics added to dunks converted sport to entertainment, which fans were eventually willing to pay big ticket prices to see the greatest show in person. Proof: Madison Square Garden. Home to Mary Poppins, Ringling brothers and..basketball.
Monetized basketball proved profitable from the nineties to present, waiting for NCAA rules to change so monster funds could reach college students, before they turned pro.