Why do Great Basketball Players Ride the Bench?

HOST
Let me speak directly to the current NBA players riding the bench. Why are you sitting on the bench? You are an incredible basketball player! You have unbelievable skills. You've got handles, you can run, jump, dunk, you can fly down the court. You are big, tall, and fast. Yet, you're sitting on the bench!

ANALYST
I understand your outrage. We have an over-supply of great basketball players and an under-supply of games for them to play in.

HOST
How do we fix things?

ANALYST
We do two things. First, we start playing 4-on-4 full court, because this will bring back fast-break basketball, which is the style of basketball that's the most fun to play, and has the most highlights! Four-on-4 full court is also the most fun basketball to watch. Remember Phi Slama Jama™ and Clyde Drexler? Remember Magic Johnson on the fast break? That's the kind of basketball that gives you chills. Today, basketball players stand around a lot, they walk a lot, and they pass around the perimeter a lot.

Second, we combine modern media with basketball! We could start with a reality TV show starring basketball players becoming entrepreneurs. We drive home the point that mathematics says 4-on-4 beats 5-on-5 every day of the week and twice on Sundays!

You could take eight great multi-millionaire basketball players that are currently riding the bench and turn them into an entire new basketball league playing a better style of basketball!

COMMENTATOR
Why not just get eight guys that are about to retire from the NBA, and have them start-up new TV shows and 4-on-4 full court games? There are also all kinds of angel investors and venture capitalists out there. Who wouldn't want to invest in the more fun league? A 4-on-4 league would be more fun for the players and more fun for the fans. Who wouldn't want to invest in a better game with better highlights?

ANALYST
Why are all these great players riding the bench when they could be playing in the more fun league, the more run and gun league, the higher scoring league, the league with more highlights!

HOST
It sounds like you're saying people need to think outside the box and innovate.

ANALYST
Absolutely, combine better basketball with social media, reality TV, and scripted TV and you can let players who want to play, who love to play, run and gun!

COMMENTATOR
Why isn't there another basketball league? How come the NFL has been competed with over and over, yet it's pretty much a game only America plays. Meanwhile, basketball is an international game and hardly anybody tries to innovate and compete. Where are the basketball entrepreneurs?

ANALYST
We need basketball entrepreneurs! I can name a bunch of organizations that have taken on the NFL. And, some of them have done so very successfully. Here's a list:

• The American Football League
• Arena Football
• The AAF
• The XFL  
• The All-America Football Conference 
• The American Football League
• The USFL (United States Football League)
• The WFL (World Football League)

COMMENTATOR
It would be much easier to start a new basketball league, because basketball is worldwide! As you said, football is pretty much in America only. The entire world loves basketball!

Copyright © 2019 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script for all media, TV shows, video, etc., incorporating 4-on-4 full court, 3-on-3 full court, 2-on-2 full court, and 1-on-1 full court basketball.

Magic Johnson and the Greek Freak Need to get Together

ANALYST
Magic Johnson and the Greek Freak (Giannis Antetokounmpo) need to get together, because Magic Johnson is an entrepreneur. Both Magic and Giannis are superstar basketball players. Magic changed the Los Angeles Lakers with Showtime, and the Greek Freak has changed the Milwaukee Bucks for the better, because Fear the Deer! 

But the most important quality either Magic or Giannis has is being an entrepreneur. You make way more money doing business than being a basketball player.

These two superstar basketball players need to bust the monopoly, the 5-on-5 monopoly. Magic Johnson with a player like the Greek Freak could do it. Any entrepreneur like Magic Johnson and virtually any other NBA player could break the monopoly. Why? Because 4-on-4 full court is better than 5-on-5 full court with today's players.

HOST
Come on, nobody understands what you're talking about.

COMMENTATOR
No, I get it. What if these two 4-player teams played each other?

1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. James Harden
4. Chris Paul

Playing against:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo - The Greek Freak
2. Anthony Davis
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Paul George

ANALYST
It gives me chills just to think about it! And it's all about the math.

ANNOUNCER
Oh no, don't bring math into it. 

COMMENTATOR
He's got to! Where have you been? This is the age of Sabermetrics and analytics.

ANALYST
Look it's not really about the math! It's about fast break basketball! And the math tells us how to create fast break basketball. I'm tired of watching NBA players stand around. I want non-stop fast break basketball!

COMMENTATOR
I can't disagree with that.

HOST
How?

ANALYST
All we have to do is make the two point shot more valuable by making players more likely to make the two-point shot. The way to do that is to remove two players from the court. That removes a whole lot of defense! Play 4-on-4 full court instead of 5-on-5 full court.

Right now, NBA players make about 50% of their 2-point shots. That means if you shoot 100 shots, you make 50, and that's 100 points.

And right now, NBA players make about 35% of their three point shots. That means if you shoot 100 shots, you make 35, and that is 105 points.

COMMENTATOR
I get it. It's better to shoot 3-point shots. That's why NBA players stand around a lot and pass around the perimeter a lot. That's why today's game is so boring. There's no magic! There's no Phi Slama Jama™ like the University of Houston used to have.

ANALYST
Exactly. but what if you start playing 4-on-4 instead of 5-on-5? Who is going to stop the Greek Freak then? With only eight players on the floor, the driving lanes will be open, the Greek Freak will be able to fast break all the time. The same will be true for every other biggest, tallest, fastest, basketball player with great endurance. They will be able to run non-stop, because there will be room to run. 

COMMENTATOR
And more fast breaks means more dunks. It means more running and gunning! it means more highlights. It means more great passes. It means basketball played the way we love basketball the most.

ANALYST
Remember, right now NBA players only make about 50% of their 2-point shots. With two players removed, playing 4-on-4 full court instead of 5-on-5 full court, we can expect a lot more fast breaks and dunks. We can expect the two-point shot percentage to go up nearer 70%. That means if you shoot 100 shots, you make 70 shots, You score 140 points a game! That's the wide open basketball that people really love. And, you still have the three point shot!

4-on-4 Beats 5-on-5!

Copyright © 2019 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script for all media, TV shows, video, etc., with 4-on-4 full court, 3-on-3 full court, 2-on-2 full court, and 1-on-1 full court basketball.

NBA Players Need to Quit Complaining about Fouls and Lack of Ownership!

ANNOUNCER
The Houston Rockets have been complaining that they are not getting foul calls from the referees. 

COMMENTATOR
Yet, James Harden jumps forward when he shoots, initiates contact, and wants the defender to be called for the foul. It's smart basketball, but not necessarily fair or fun basketball. And, Chris Paul is no shrinking violet about making contact! They are both superstar athletes and they would benefit from more wide open basketball with less contact. And, they should be both be owners.

ANALYST
Yes, millionaire NBA players complain about fouls. They also complain that they don't get to be coaches, don't get to be managers, and don't get to be owners of the teams. The millionaires complain about the billionaires that own the majority of everything. Yet, the players willingly participate in the monopoly instead of trying to change it. They fail to innovate.

COMMENTATOR
So we've got two problems. first, basketball is boring. Not enough running, gunning, and dunking. And, second, players can't become owners.

ANALYST
Yes two problems! And by fixing one you can fix the other. We have lost the essential beauty of professional basketball. In the games today, they run 3-point line to 3-point line. It’s become perimeter ball.

ANNOUNCER
What can we do?

COMMENTATOR
We can fix play 4-on-4 full court. We can bring back running full court instead of just three-point line to three-point line.

It's math. We make it more likely to make two point baskets! Play 4-on-4 full court instead of 5-on-5 full court.

If you make 33% of your 3-point shots and you shoot 100 shots that means you make 33 baskets, times 3 points, equals 99 points. This is today’s game.

If you make 45% of your two-point shots and you shoot 100 shots that means you make 45 baskets, times 2 points, equals 90 points. This is also today’s game.

So, it's better to shoot three pointers in 5-on-5 games. But, basketball would be much more exciting if it was all about running and dunking!

What if these two 4-player teams played each other?

1. LeBron James
2. Kevin Durant
3. James Harden
4. Chris Paul

Playing against:

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo - The Greek Freak
2. Anthony Davis
3. Kawhi Leonard
4. Paul George

COMMENTATOR
That game should be 140 - 139! There should be 40 dunks! And, guess which team I pick to win?

ANNOUNCER 
Who would win? 

ANALYST
Let’s play the game! Playing 4-on-4 full court instead of 5-on-5 full court makes sense! It would make room for wide open basketball! Like our commentator said, running, gunning, and dunking!

With 4-on-4 player should make 60% - 70% of their two-point shots, and if you shoot 100 shots, that means you make 60 - 70 baskets, times 2 points each equals 120 - 140 points. Plus you still got three-pointers! It would be like the former ABA with high scoring games! Dr. J time again!

Let’s face it. It's better to run and gun! It's better to fast break! It's better to go for dunks! That’s the kind of basketball that gives me chills. That’s that kind of basketball that is played by the biggest, tallest, fastest players. The true superstars! 

Things can change. A couple of NBA players need to start reality TV shows, scripted TV shows, games, tournaments, a league, or leagues, all about playing 4-on-4 full court. They need to become owners. This is the script and treatment to start making basketball fun again. It's math!

Copyright © 2019 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script for all media, TV shows, video, etc., incorporating 4-on-4 full court, 3-on-3 full court, 2-on-2 full court, and 1-on-1 full court basketball.

Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Clyde Drexler, and Vince Carter

ANNOUNCER

Think of the tallest, fastest, greatest basketball players!

COMMENTATOR

Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Clyde Drexler, and Vince Carter were four of the greatest fast break basketball players of all time! They could all finish with fantastic dunks. They were outstanding at running and gunning! They were, and are, a fearsome foursome!

ANNOUNCER

You're talking about Air Jordan, Dr. J, Phi Slama Jama™, and Vinsanity!

ANALYST

I used to love basketball, but I hate it now. Mostly, I try to watch the last two minutes of today's NBA, or of the NCAA games. In the games today, they mostly run 3-point line to 3-point line. They mostly pass the ball around the perimeter. Boring! So so boring! I remember when players used to fly!

ANNOUNCER

What can we do?

ANALYST/COMMENTATOR

We can fix basketball! We can fix basketball by playing 4-on-4 full court. We can bring back the non-stop running and excitement that we all used to enjoy. We can bring back the highlights!

The answer is math. It's analytics. What do we love? Fast break basketball. What would bring it back? Answer: Making it more likely to make two point baskets! We can do that by playing 4-on-4 full court instead of 5-on-5 full court.

Right now the NBA is sort of like this: If you make 35% of your 3-point shots, and you shoot 100 shots, that means you make 35 baskets, times 3 points, equals 105 points.

If you make 50% of your two-point shots, and you shoot 100 shots, that means you make 50 baskets, times 2 points, equals 100 points.

SO, mathematically, it's better to shoot three pointers. But, basketball would be much more exciting if it was better to dunk!

ANNOUNCER

Who would be your dream team for that historical fearsome foursome to play against?

COMMENTATOR

That's easy, it would be LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kawhi Leonard.

ANNOUNCER

You're talking about King James, KD, the Greek Freak, and The Klaw.

COMMENTATOR

That's right! Imagine those two sets of four player teams going against each other full court! In their prime!

ANNOUNCER

But it seems strange. Why remove the two players? Why go from five-on-five to 4-on-4?

COMMENTATOR

Removing two players and playing 4-on-4 full court instead of 5-on-5 full court makes tremendous sense. Many of today's players are nearly 7-ft tall and have 7 ft wingspans. These players are essentially taking up 38 square feet of space each when they play defense. By removing two such players you are freeing up 76 square feet of space! That's a lot of space! That makes room for wide open basketball!

Suddenly, passing lanes will be open. Driving Lanes will be open for dunks. Players will make a higher percentage of two point shots!

If you make 60% of your two-point shots, and you shoot 100 shots, that means you make 60 baskets, times 2 points, equals 120 points!

Suddenly, it's way better to run and gun again! It's way better to fast break again! It's way better to go for dunks!

Fast break basketball is the kind of basketball we all used to love. It's the basketball that thrilled us. It's what we dreamed about. It's Showtime! Let's bring the chills back by playing 4-on-4 full court.

Today's basketball players all have the handles, and all have the speed, to play 4-on-4 full court. We wouldn't have to wait for the last few minutes of games for them to get exciting. The entire game would be exciting from start to finish.

ANNOUNCER

I'm with you. bring back players playing like Clyde "The Glide" Drexler and Phi Slama Jama™ as the University of Houston used to do (they own the trademark). Russell Westbrook comes to mind!

Copyright © 2019 Bradley R. Hennenfent, M.D. All rights reserved. This is an ongoing treatment and script for all media incorporating 4-on-4 full court, 3-on-3 full court, 2-on-2 full court, and 1-on-1 full court basketball.