The NBA is the biggest basketball league in the World. Just making it to the NBA is already an affirmation of an individuals talent depth and what they bring to the table as basketball players. The NBA is not just the number one league in the World by any measurable metric, it is also the number one by a very wide margin. This means it is the goal of almost every basketball player alive to play in the league, and some will rather retire than go elsewhere.
This unfortunately also means that the league is extremely competitive. The pool of talent is so deep that players considered not good enough for the NBA can become MVP caliber players in other leagues round the World. It also means that there is a global supply of talent with basketball players being scouted from all over the World. For instance, the last four regular season NBA MVP awards have gone to non-Americans, and this year likely looks the same.
How is This Relevant to Our Topic?
With such a global talent pool, it becomes a lot easier to find and nurture exceptional basketball talent, some we may refer to as generational talent more often and attract them to the league. Indeed some of the European players we have seen in recent times such as Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokoumpo and Joe Embiid are nothing short of what we can call all time greats. The problem though is that they are all present in the same era and thus have to make their mark here. Exciting for fans, but perhaps not for them.
These superstar players are often saddled with the responsibility of carrying their teams to victory. There is a lot of responsibility and demand placed on them, and they are usually rewarded with watering Max contracts for such expectations. To be given the superstar or franchise player tag that makes the team want to build around you also means that a lot of other potentially good players are sacrificed.
I Explain
Because of the NBA salary caps, teams can only offer to pay players so much before being hit with luxury tax fines for exceeding such caps. They are usually not pleasant and teams try to keep within the tax limits> Every now and then certain teams may willingly incur this tax to make room for multiple superstars, but it is an expensive venture that many teams shy away from. It just isn't good business.
This means that whatever players an NBA team puts out has to be good enough. The usual formula is to have a Superstar, one or two top level players (potential All stars) and a bunch of hardworking, energetic, yet skillful players that can execute the game plan without hassle, which usually is built around the superstar. In other words, the superstar must be good enough to lead his team to victory.
How Realistic is This Though?
To be clear about something, NBA superstars are not overrated. They are actually as good as they are portrayed. The problem is when teams neglect the rest of their squad and place too much responsibilities on their main man. We are seeing that this season with the Dallas Mavericks and that may eventually hinder its superstar, Luka Doncic's legitimate MVP push this season.
Let us take a cue from the Milwaukee Bucks team of 2021 that was able to step up without Giannis and make the playoff finals (that they eventually won). Teams have to realize that basketball is a team sport for a reason. One person unfortunately cannot do it all on the court.