With the NBA ratings dwindling rapidly, this is a great time for another sport to try and make the leap into the power slot that football has owned in recent years.
The NBA has received some scrutiny recently with players taking games off, enforcing minute restrictions, constant complaining over foul and non-foul calls, and the ever increasing salaries and ticket prices.
Just when the status of the league is being brought into question, there is an exciting youth movement making its way to the forefront.
Veteran players like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant have been showcased in the NBA Finals each year and Russell Westbrook did the unthinkable last season by averaging a triple double but there is an influx of talent making their way onto the scene and grabbing everyone's attention.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the "Greek Freak", burst onto the scene last year and has come out of the gate full speed ahead so far in 2017.
Through four games this year the 22 year old Giannis is averaging nearly 37 points per game, 10.8 rebounds per game, 5 assists, a block and 2 steals.
The Philadelphia 76ers spent a couple years doing all that they could to tank their season(s) so that they could increase their chances of obtaining the #1 draft pick in order to rebuild their franchise.
This strategy worked according to plan and landed them cornerstones Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz.
Embiid, who has been playing on a minutes limit, has flashed moments of brilliance and shown that he can be a dominant big man when healthy.
Fultz is battling a shoulder injury which has hampered his shooting ability and prevented fans from seeing his full ability so far this season. At 19 years old, he has plenty of time to grow into the player many expected him to be when taking him #1 in the 2017 NBA draft.
Ben Simmons sat out the entire season after being selected #1 in the 2016 NBA draft due to a foot injury suffered in a training camp scrimmage.
Simmons burst onto the scene by scoring 18 pts, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists in his regular season debut. The 6' 10" 21 year old point guard smashed the Detroit Pistons on October 23rd as he put up his first career triple double (21 pts, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) to help lead Philadelphia to their first win of the season.
The much talked about team, who urged fans to "trust the process" while going through some miserable losing seasons, are now in position to reap the benefits while putting out a very entertaining squad.
Speaking of "much talked about", the eccentric LaVar Ball yelled, screamed, and hollered to everyone that would listen that his son Lonzo should be the first pick in the draft and any team that passed on him would be a fool.
LaVar became such a media presence that Lonzo had a spotlight on him before he ever stepped foot on the NBA floor.
After being drafted by the Lakers, the media circus just grew larger as now the circus that followed Lonzo was heading to Los Angeles.
With all of this pressure on his shoulders, the 19 year old Ball did not disappoint.
Playing with a fast paced, pass first mentality, Lonzo has brought the "showtime" back to the Lakers.
After three games of his rookie season, Lonzo is averaging 13 points, 9 rebounds and nearly 9 assists per game.
He, along with the 2016 NBA Draft's #2 pick in 20 year old Brandon Ingram, has made the Lakers games "can't miss" as you never know what creative and amazing play they will make next.
Beyond the above mentioned players, there are guys like the Kings' De'Aaron Fox (19 years old) and Buddy Hield (23 years old), Boston's Jayson Tatum (19 years old), Brooklyn's D'Angelo Russell (21 years old), Denver's Nikola Jokic (22 years old) and Jamal Murray (20 years old), Minnesota's Karl Anthony-Towns (21 years old) and Andrew Wiggins (22 years old), New Orleans' Anthony Davis (24 years old), Suns' Devin Booker and Josh Jackson (both 20 years old), and
New York's Kristaps Porzingis (22 years old).
This list only scratches the surface of the plethora of young talent in the league that are looking to become the next "face of the NBA".
They are young, they are hungry and they can ball.
It is an exciting time to be a fan of the NBA and there is a chance that they could sneak up on the NFL in the very near future.
