Bon retour à Paris, NBA.
Better currency exchange those Bucks to Francs (oh no wait that’s Euro’s. Catch up United Kingdom). Because Milwaukee’s next stop is in Paris, France. After this season’s Big Smoke game between the winning Washington Wizards and New York Knicks at the former Millennium Dome, the 02 Arena became a game on the line, infamous instant replay goaltending call decision that seemed to stretch that contest for as beyond the buzzer as long as possible, it looks like Big Ben has tolled for the last time for the NBA’s regular season games in London, England. No wonder they took their time with that last horn chime.
All this after exclusive exhibition announcements in the Far East. Featuring a double header between D’Angelo Russell’s ice in China, Brooklyn Nets and the King’s Los Angeles Lakers in Shanghai and Shenzhen and our Toronto Raptors and Harden’s Rockets for their own one in Tokyo, Japan before next Summer’s 2020 Olympic Games in the capital of the land of the rising sun. The association is no longer forgetting about Paris too, like the classic Billy Crystal romantic comedy with the best, closer than courtside camoes of actual NBA stars (yeah I said it ‘Space Jam’). As the ‘When Harry Met Sally’ legend who took Meg Ryan to Katz Deli and the rest is “I’ll have what she’s having” quotable, fries with that history played a referee who was just glad for Muggsy Bogues as he finally had “someone to talk too”.
Can somebody give Crystal a call too please? Now the NBA will play its first game in Paris for over a decade.
Ten years in the making to the next one, could you think of a better team of the when the Warrior is fallen future then the Milwaukee Bucks that fits for this European exchange? Aside from the twin neighbouring Spanish bigs of Nikola Mirotic and legend Pau Gasol, they have the ‘Greek Freak’ Giannis, the greatest of this post-King generation. Call King James Harden the MVP right now, bit if you were to start any franchise today and had to pick one face, it would be the grinning Giannis. Therefore the alphabet of Antetokounmpo, leading the most international of teams in the NBA to this global game is the Most Valuable Player of not only this team and league, but this wide world expanding like his wingspan game as a whole, spinning on the finger-like basketball planet.
Well, how about the basketball without borders buzz of the Hornets in Paris for the first time since 1994? Charlotte hosted one of the most nostalgic and beautiful All Star Games in recent memory this loving February and now they are taking their court to a whole new continent. And the Kemba Walker lead East beast of tomorrow has more French connections than ‘Hoosiers’ coach Gene Hackman. French-born and national team heroes Tony Parker and Nicolas Batum both play for the Charlotte Hornets and will be greeted in next Janvier’s game with ‘ welcome. And the owner of this North Carolina outfit, the greatest of all-time, Michael Jordan’s Nike brand is as big over here as these seven footers trying to Gobert jump over the Eiffel Tower (those Air Jordan Paris t-shirts with the Jumpman as the A are the best in the fashion class, like those Nike symbol sponsored 90’s golden era Hornets throwbacks to go back into hoop history with that Buzz City hardwood). If only they could play on the iconic Nike Jumpman outside court overlooked by the most famous lady in the City of Light herself (although the pitch coveted AccorHotels Arena is a stadium of our future times).
Un jour.
The last time the NBA showcased their art of sport in the Louvre city, everyone including Mona Lisa were smiling as Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls team won the McDonalds Games for all the quarter pounders over 20 years ago in 1997. But come next calender in the New Year, season and 2020 of sport will it be his Buzz or the Bucks who afford more after four quarters of a franc?
With all love to Paris St Germain, the world’s most romantic city is about to meet its one, true, beloved beautiful game.
It’s only Au Revoir until we meet again.
