In a recent comment, David Falk, former agent of basketball legend Michael Jordan, expressed his opinion on NBA players being overpaid. Falk, whose client list in the 1990s included several notable players, including Jordan himself, spoke out against what he considers a flaw in the system.
Falk argued that the NBA’s current system is burdened by a group of players who are “grossly overpaid” despite not bringing in sufficient revenues or driving ticket and concession sales. While acknowledging that these players are talented, Falk believes they are artificially overcompensated due to constraints within the system.
“The system becomes so clogged by a whole group of grossly overpaid players that don’t bring in revenues, don’t sell tickets, don’t sell concessions,” Falk said, via Howard Beck and Condé Nast of GQ. “They’re good players, but they’re artificially overpaid, because of the foolish restraint in the system.”
He also highlighted the lack of differentiation between players of similar caliber. Falk questioned how to distinguish between stars like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, or Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. According to Falk, this “gross homogenization” undermines the excitement and individuality that used to define the business of basketball representation.
