AP ImagesThe NBA lockout seems as it will take all if not half of the NBA season.
With that said many players have tried to find alternatives to keep themselves in shape or keep playing basketball.
Guards San Antonio Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers were in serious talks to play oversees in China's Basketball Association. The league just passed a rule banning players from joining their league if they are under contract with the NBA. The Chinese government which runs the league wants it to help improve homegrown Chinese talent for the national team and having an influx of players would deter that.
Houston Rockets swingman Chase Buddinger has decided to play some volleyball this coming weekend. Buddinger, who was one of the best players across the country coming out of California his senior year of high school decided to forgo the sport and pursue basketball exclusively when he attended the Univeristy of Arizona. In an interview with TrueHoop Buddinger says he couldn't play volleyball professionally becuase it was prohibited in his NBA contract but now he is allowed to play some tournaments due to the lockout.
Free agent Delonte West, who played for the Boston Celtics last season has applied for a job at Home Depot. Through twitter West says "Its official.. Pride 2 the side... just filled out an application at Home Depot.. Lockout aint a game.." West who has $14 million since joining the league in 2004 has also battled off the court issues such as depression. West is also not allowed to play oversees because of a court order by a judge following gun possession.
Those are just three examples of the way the lockout has affected players. Not to mention the concession stand workers, parking ticket attendants and all the others who depend on the business the NBA brings to them. The owners and players have to work out a deal or more people will feel the pinch especially in this economy.
From the Sports Mind of RB:
Some of the top teir players have a bit of a cushion with money or a second career they can lean on but most players in the league were living paycheck to paycheck. Not to mention the rookies who were drafted and now are left in limbo. Most left school early to pursue the NBA dream and now that is put on hold. The NBA owners know that players will not stand against them and will decide to find income elsewhere instead of staying back and fighting for those players who probably can't fight for themselves. After an amazing 2010-2011 season in which the Miami Heat accumulated the "Big Three", the New York Knicks returned to prominence, and all the other storylines the league could have built going forward. The NFL understood that with the money they were making a lockout could seriuosly hamper the reputation and brand they built. And that might be the biggest hurdle the NBA has to fix before any progress is made, save the brand that was being built.
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