The Basketball Phenomenon

Eric Spoelstra, NBA Heat Coach, visits Torres High School
-photo credits to PHILSTAR

IT is simply amazing when millions of people from across the globe, cheer to one, single, game-winning, basketball shot.  

The feeling is indescribable when the game is at its last seconds, all the tension building up, only to be relieved with that last fateful shot. Basketball has reached unprecedented popularity that most people know of the sport. Apart from the technicalities that come with Basketball, what makes it stand out is the drama.

Only in Basketball  can you see the lives of the players so close. In the NBA, the most publicized Basketball association in the world, players, coaches and even the owners of the teams, are as popular as the game itself.

As you watch the game, whatever is at stake-- ego, pride, championships-- feels personal. That though you might not lose anything if your team didn't win, you feel the tension. It is as if, you're actually there, that you feel like you're the player, or the coach.

People get so attached to Basketball, that the whole world seems to revolve around it. From fashion statements, to video games, and outright everyday small talk, Basketball is seen, heard, and talked about everywhere.

In fact, the little kids look up to Bryant, James, Nowitzki, Parker, Duncan, and a lot more, as idols. I see a lot of kids outside who emulate the moves of these superstars. This only proves how big an influence Basketball has on the youth.

It is therefore, imperative that Basketball be used not just a tool for marketing, but also a tool for change. And NBA has not failed. Players from the sport have been known to donate to charities. The NBA in fact has a health fitness program that runs across the world. Eric Spoelstra last year visited my alma mater last year to promote this advocacy.

Through Basketball, hopefully, will not be just a sport where you shoot hoops, but a game that also touches hearts.