The distribution of wealth in the NBA
Just something for NBA players to think about if they feel they are being hard done by.
When the number one ranked player in the world faces the number two ranked player in a final of a major tournament of any sport, it’s always worth watching. The Men’s Wimbledon tennis final yesterday was no different. For many, it was the perfect final. World number one Serbian Novak Djokovic entered the game in incredible form this year and he was up against Spain’s Rafael Nadal, who came into this final having won his tenth major title at the French Open last month.
Everyone was expecting a classic match between two great players but in truth it was all a bit of an anti-climax as Djokovic won comfortably in four sets. By winning Tennis’ most prestigious tournament, Djokovic won his first Wimbledon title, the third major championship of his career, his second major of the year, the eighth ATP title of the year and his forty-eighth victory in forty-nine matches in 2011. Simply an extraordinary feat.
After the match, 24 year old Djokovic said “there were no words to describe” how he felt after winning his first Wimbledon title. Champions are speechless after their victories at Grand Slam events but after the match I was also left grasping for the right words to write this article. I am a huge Tennis fan and I follow the tour all year fully aware of which players are winning, losing, moving up and down the rankings and generally what’s happening on the ATP tour.
Well, I thought I did.
Let me point out again what Djokovic has achieved this year:
2 Grand slam titles (Australian Open and Wimbledon)
One Grand slam semi final (French Open)
6 other ATP titles
Forty-eighth victories in forty-nine matches.
It was when I saw Novak Djokovic’s 2011 prize money I was left wondering how to put this article together. I didn’t realise how ‘little’ the prize money was in tennis. Djokovic been sensational this year winning in different countries, on different surfaces and against the greatest players of his generation. I couldn’t help but compare what Djokovic had won this year to the qualifying offer made by the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday for often injured Center Greg Oden for the 2011/12 season.
For all his success this year Novak Djokovic has won $7,608,673 in prize money. On Friday, Portland offered the former 2007 number one draft pick Oden, $8,788,681 for one season. Am I missing something? Whenever I read or hear of what many other sportsmen and sportswomen are earning in their respective sports, I think about the great position a lot the NBA players have been in for many years.
Of course, $7m is not bad but I still thought it would be more, as this is something that may not ever be repeated again.
With a total of 82 games played in the NBA, 23 year old Greg Oden has played the equivalent of one regular season in four years. Despite showing signs of the skills he showed when he led Ohio State to the NCAA Championship game, injuries have caused him to sit out three of his four seasons as a professional. Both of Oden’s knees have had microfracture surgery but in December 2009 he ruptured his left patella. He hasn’t played since. In this time, Portland have paid Oden more than $19m for his 82 games.
I want to point out, I am a fan of Greg Oden and I predicted when he was drafted, the Blazers would join the Lakers and Spurs as genuine contenders in the Western Conference. Elite centers in the NBA are few and far between but if Oden can get healthy, I believe he has the ability to join that list. Although, there is no guarantee Oden will be able to fully recover from his injuries but there is one guarantee; Portland are prepared to pay him at least $8,788,681 for next season, healthy or not.
I think this is a perfect example of why the NBA is in the position it finds itself and why owners are so keen to stop the players having so much money. This is not to say I side with the owners but this is certainly one reason why they have cause to complain. I understand Portland’s position with Oden, they have already invested nearly $20m but more importantly, the organisation have supported him while he has been injured and they continue to believe in him and the offer they have made him demonstrates this. However, for the Trail Blazers to have to offer Oden 125% of his previous season’s salary and still risk losing him to a higher bidder is wrong. Can someone explain to me why Greg Oden deserves an increase in salary?
I believe there is a problem in the league when there is a player paid a minimum of $8.7m a season after sitting out three of the past four seasons through injury. When a player who has yet to complete a full season in the NBA earns over $1m more than a tennis player who has won eight titles, including two grand slams and has only been beaten once in forty-nine matches, I think there is a problem.
I wonder what Novak Djokovic would be thinking if he was sat at the negotiating table with NBA league and player officials. Alongside Greg Oden.
Article courtesy of Michael Roberts.