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.