In 1988, CBS Sports delivered a bold and humorous prediction about the league in 2020. This segment, which aired during NBA coverage, aimed to forecast "what the future holds for the game of basketball."
In the following minutes, they shared some creative and exaggerated ideas, but one suggestion stood out: the idea that "the National Basketball Association (NBA) would transform into the International Basketball Association (IBA)." To discuss this intriguing claim, then-league Commissioner David Stern , who has since passed away, appeared on camera to share his thoughts.
"Right now, the NBA champion is the world champion. Perhaps to lay claim to that title in the year 2020, the NBA champion will have to play the other best teams in the world," remarked Stern.
Further globalizing basketball with the IBA
Stern held his position from 1984 to 2014, making him the longest-serving Commissioner in major North American sports leagues at the time he stepped down. During his 30-year tenure, the late New York native made several important changes that set the NBA on a path to success.
One of his key achievements was globalizing the league. Interestingly, David was open to expanding on this idea even further. This becomes clear when considering the potential creation of the International Basketball Association (IBA).
At the time, CBS suggested that this hypothetical tournament would take place during the NBA playoff season, which is typically from mid-May to late June. The IBA would give fans a chance to watch a "very physical Eastern Conference" with teams from places like Moscow (then USSR), Frankfurt (then West Germany), Tel Aviv (Israel), and Milan (Italy). Meanwhile, the Western Conference would exemplarily feature teams from Barcelona (Spain), São Paulo (Brazil), Toronto (Canada), and Charlotte (USA).
The exact method for how these teams, likely national champions in their respective countries, would qualify to play against the NBA champions wasn't fully detailed in the segment.
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The world champion debate
Looking back about 36 years later on this prediction, it becomes even more interesting when considering a major headline from August 2023. At that time, US track and field star Noah Lyles expressed something that bothered him when watching the NBA Finals.
"They have 'world champion' on their head. World champion of what? The United States?" he said, later adding , "That ain't the world. That is not the world."
Not surprisingly, this sparked a major debate with two clear sides emerging. Those who agreed with the 27-year-old, who felt vindicated when Team USA lost to Germany in the subsequent FIBA World Cup and ultimately failed to even get on the podium. On the other hand, some disagreed. They finally found reassurance when Team USA dominated most opponents at the 2024 Paris Olympics, ultimately winning the Gold medal.
Ultimately, if the league administration had indeed implemented the IBA tournament, not a single word of Lyles' statement would have ever been uttered.
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