bendyone wrote:K...always wondered why NBA rules differ from FIBA rules? Why does the NBA allow travelling? I see stacks of great dunks each year...of travelling...but no call???? Is it simply to increase the spectacle?
Good question but I think you answered it yourself. It's all about spectacle.
Traveling, for example, is based on merit. The bigger the star, the more lenient the officiating. It's implicitly understood that American fans want to see the best players play more. This is what happens in a highly saturated consumer culture. Moreover, I would also say that traveling or, more specifically, "palming", is a by-product of the
StreetBall era. Beginning in the late 90s, And 1 was the first to launch a series of street basketball mixtapes that gained a lot of popularity. Kids everywhere were emulating these very talented players who, in many cases, completely disregarded the rules of the game of basketball in favor of - you guessed it - spectacle. The And 1 mixtapes were all about hops and handle though its entertainment value was undeniable.
If it's not for spectacle then I'm not exactly sure why FIBA rules differ from NBA rules but it's kind of like America's imperial system vs. the metric system of the rest of the world. Just doesn't make sense...can't we all agree on anything?
One more note...traveling is a rule in both FIBA and the NBA. What I think you were alluding to is officiating. The dunking rule is a very good example and probably the biggest difference between FIBA/NBA rules.
