i wish the NBA played nicely with the other leagues/FIBA... :(

[jzek]

I envy the different soccer leagues scene. Each region (Spain, Germany, UK, etc.) has their own league (La Liga, Bundesliga, Premiere League, etc.) and the top teams from each league play in a "champions-only" league (Champions League and Europa League). Then once you have the "true" champion per region, the two overall top teams face in a "superleague" (Super Cup) to determine who the "real" champion of soccer is.

In basketball, we could do the same. You have one tournament for the top teams in the NBA, Canada, Mexico, etc. and another tournament for the top teams in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, etc. with the winners in each tournament facing each other.

Then over in Europe, they could do the same thing. Split the teams per region and have their own championship round culminating with the champion of Europe facing the North American champions until we have one overall "true" champion.

Sucks that the NBA doesn't play nice with the other basketball leagues. The only time we see NBA teams match up against teams from other leagues/countries is during meaningless preseason games.

[SexSymbol]

I envy the different soccer leagues scene. Each region (Spain, Germany, UK, etc.) has their own league (La Liga, Bundesliga, Premiere League, etc.) and the top teams from each league play in a "champions-only" league (Champions League and Europa League). Then once you have the "true" champion per region, the two overall top teams face in a "superleague" (Super Cup) to determine who the "real" champion of soccer is.

In basketball, we could do the same. You have one tournament for the top teams in the NBA, Canada, Mexico, etc. and another tournament for the top teams in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, etc. with the winners in each tournament facing each other.

Then over in Europe, they could do the same thing. Split the teams per region and have their own championship round culminating with the champion of Europe facing the North American champions until we have one overall "true" champion.

Sucks that the NBA doesn't play nice with the other basketball leagues. The only time we see NBA teams match up against teams from other leagues/countries is during meaningless preseason games.

Basically NBA champion vs. Euroleague champion.
Might be a good idea for some seperate new trophy.
NBA format is good as is, the only thing that needs to change is best 16 teams make it to PO, not 8 from each conference.
I don't get this urge to change something that's really working great.

[RedBlackAttack]

I envy the different soccer leagues scene. Each region (Spain, Germany, UK, etc.) has their own league (La Liga, Bundesliga, Premiere League, etc.) and the top teams from each league play in a "champions-only" league (Champions League and Europa League). Then once you have the "true" champion per region, the two overall top teams face in a "superleague" (Super Cup) to determine who the "real" champion of soccer is.

In basketball, we could do the same. You have one tournament for the top teams in the NBA, Canada, Mexico, etc. and another tournament for the top teams in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, etc. with the winners in each tournament facing each other.

Then over in Europe, they could do the same thing. Split the teams per region and have their own championship round culminating with the champion of Europe facing the North American champions until we have one overall "true" champion.

Sucks that the NBA doesn't play nice with the other basketball leagues. The only time we see NBA teams match up against teams from other leagues/countries is during meaningless preseason games.

To be totally honest, I'm not sure the Champions League teams are to a point yet where they could be remotely competitive with the best NBA teams. I don't say that to be arrogant, because we have a lot of really good players from outside the US playing in the NBA which help make it so good. But, are we to the point where it would really be worth having a worldwide club championship that would include NBA teams? I don't think the other leagues are there just yet.

Eventually, it would have the potential to be a really cool idea, but then there would have to be some issues ironed out. The rules and even the size of the court, distance of the three-point line, etc., are all different in the NBA as compared to the European leagues. Unlike the FIBA World Cup, which obviously plays by FIBA rules, the NBA would have to have serious input on these rules/differences and the European Leagues would have to give a little.

At the end of the day, it seems like a pretty big effort for a game or series of games that are unlikely to be all that competitive. I think it will eventually happen, though. A little ways to go still.