On Friday, things did not sound good for the NBA. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made it seem like things were not moving in the right direction for the NBA to have a season. It bummed me out. NBA didn’t feel like they had a plan on paper, and they were too worried about the PR blowback. NBA’s star players had seen enough. On Monday, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul and countless others agreed to show a united front of advocating the NBA to return this year. It is truly inspiring from these players. This shows you why players-driven leagues are important, and how this will add to each of their legacies.

Since Silver’s takeover, the league has been about the players more so than it has been about the owners or coaches. The NBA’s marketing plan helped out with that. The ability to find anything on YouTube or rip something from a game you’re watching without consequence amplified the star power. These guys have a voice with the league. The list of players that were part of this group is the best in the world. All are all-stars, and all are showing they’re reading to accept the consequences if they are any. The list of NBA stars that want the league back is Antetokounmpo, James, Paul, Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, and Russell Westbrook.

Yesterday, Silver had a call with the board of governors (Aka the owners) and it appears that things shifted in the direction of playing basketball again. You want to know why? The group of eight guys pushing their governors to play basketball matters a hell of a lot. Could that change if the owners ask the players to take a pay cut? Maybe. But it seems like these players want to play no matter what the ramifications are for their future. In fact, they’re worried a canceled season hurts their next CBA.

If the league comes back, this is a legacy-defining moment for all of these players. They all deserve credit for pushing the league back into playing the sport all of them love. It makes baseball look 1000% more cowardly because they hid behind a union versus being problem solvers. History will remember LeBron fondly for this move. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and others would do the same.

Charlie.