NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently expressed his support for shortening the game by reducing quarters to 10 minutes, a change he believes would make the league more attractive to TV audiences. However, not everyone in the basketball world agrees with the proposal. Former player and Los Angeles Lakers head coach, JJ Redick, voiced his strong opposition to the idea, calling it a step in the wrong direction.
“I’m not a fan. That’s not a good idea. We are the premier league, in the NBA. Why are we conforming to anyone else? It’s not a good idea,” Redick told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
Redick’s comments highlight the concerns many players and analysts have about altering the game’s structure, especially when it comes to maintaining the NBA’s legacy as the gold standard of professional basketball.
Silver’s suggestion to reduce quarters from the current 12 minutes to 10 was made in an effort to make NBA games more appealing for TV viewers. According to Silver, shorter games could fit into a two-hour TV window, which he believes could increase viewership and enhance the league’s marketability.
The NBA, as Silver pointed out, is the only major league globally with 12-minute quarters, a fact he feels could be reconsidered to align with the trends seen in other sports.
However, Redick, known for his sharp insights into the game and his direct approach, firmly disagrees with the shift. He argues that the NBA’s stature and history should not be compromised to fit a model that other leagues are adopting.
The debate over shorter game times is not new. Over the years, many have suggested that reducing the length of games could make them more digestible for fans, especially those with busy schedules. However, the impact on player performance, the flow of the game, and the overall integrity of the sport are concerns that many within the NBA community, including Redick, continue to raise.
For now, it remains to be seen whether the NBA will take steps toward shorter quarters or stick with the 12-minute format that has been in place for decades.
