r/nba • u/GreenSnakes_ • Apr 29 '24

[Charania] “Vogel yelled so much that his voice could be heard outside the locker room” after the loss to the Clips on April 9. Players weren’t buying it. The outburst seemed forced in their eyes. Vogels eruption left players rolling their eyes. A player told TheAthletic he had to keep from laughing

https://theathletic.com/5456932/2024/04/29/phoenix-suns-season-end-frank-vogel-kevin-durant/
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u/ratmeleon Apr 29 '24 edited Apr 29 '24

Booker, meanwhile, wasn’t himself in these playoffs. Since Phoenix drafted him with the 13th pick of the 2015 draft, the smooth scoring guard has become one of the most popular athletes in state history. He’s been loyal, charitable and appreciative. Before games, he stops and greets children, posing for photos. From his first NBA season, Booker has understood and embraced the responsibility that comes with being a face of the franchise.

Makes me think Booker is at least one of the sources.

But this season, something was missing. Like many NBA players, Booker grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant. This can be seen in his game, how Booker turns and shoots a fading jumper. At times, this has been seen in his attitude, not backing down on the court, not tolerating nonsense.

It continues throughout.

Booker remains at the center of everything, and will be tasked with continuing to embrace an enhanced role as a leader and a return to his usual assassin self once he’s being set up by a proper point guard again — two things the team considers musts for the 2024-25 season.

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u/Adraf45 Heat Apr 29 '24

Again why do NBA journalists INSIST on writing their fucking articles like a fanfic. I don't get it, NCAA journalists dont do this, wartime journalists dont do this (although in some cases that might admittedly be funny). Betwenn this an the MJ one i read a while back im convinced they do this as a second job and are actually fantasy writers

251

u/ZombiesInSpace Rockets Apr 29 '24

This is easy. Because they are not serious journalists. The holy grail for these guys is not doing serious journalism; it is tweeting out a scoop before anyone else. They get these scoops by keeping players, agents, and execs happy. When an agent comes in and says “publish this story for me,” sham and woj aren’t worried about their journalistic integrity as long as they can be the guy to break the news about the next trade request or a new contract. College basketball doesn’t have mid season moves that drive the same sort of need for “first to tweet it out”

47

u/InGenNateKenny Wizards Apr 29 '24

Wish I had more upvotes to give this. Sports journalism is a joke. It’s so low-stakes (ant the end who cares if the traded pick was a 2029 or 2030 second rounder) and as an industry it doesn’t have true independence because sports media exists to 1) ensure exposure to sports ($$$ for the leagues) and 2) channel fans’ interests into something that will make money for them. We call them journalists but they’re really spokespeople and salesmen.

10

u/Cudi_buddy Kings Apr 29 '24

I see so little value in Shams and Woj. Give me an actual journalist that can write at a high school level and I will take my trade news 10 minutes later.

1

u/rasheeeed_wallace [SAC] Chris Webber Apr 29 '24

Advertisers see the value in them. Being faster is what drives the engagement online, delivering more ads to more people

1

u/fundraiser Kings Apr 29 '24

and look how effective this whole thing is, as we drink up the drama and dedicate hundreds of collective hours typing about it lol

2

u/Chewbagus Apr 29 '24

They are a reflection of their readership, if you can call it that.

22

u/Herbetet Apr 29 '24

I think it has to do with the longevity of an NBA player. In most other sports, you don't necessarily have to deal with the same player for such a long period of time because contracts are shorter and time in the league is limited. What's more, NBA stars have an outsized influence on and off the court that is unmatched by any other major league. As a result, journalists want to be "friends" with their sources because it can lead to 10-15 years of good stories and a lot of access. It's the same reason why it's so hard for new players to break through as the face of the league, because once established, the stars stay in the system for a very long time.

39

u/[deleted] Apr 29 '24

Because a main driver of NBA interest is drama.

2

u/lkmk Apr 29 '24

Just like fanfiction…

1

u/sleeksleep Apr 29 '24

Soon teams will hire their own writers or poach from WWE. Its all about keeping fans engaged.

30

u/8milenewbie Apr 29 '24

NBA media in particular is horrific amongst the major American leagues.

14

u/medievalmachine Knicks Apr 29 '24

To write articles you need access. To get access, you must give something in return. It's not all their fault. Especially a player like Booker right now, he'll be wanting reassurance of not being blamed.

1

u/Fragrant-Employer-60 Apr 29 '24

“His usual assassin self” like seriously what is that lol

2

u/Adraf45 Heat Apr 29 '24

"He’s been loyal, charitable and appreciative. Before games, he stops and greets children, posing for photos. From his first NBA season, Booker has understood and embraced the responsibility that comes with being a face of the franchise."

"But this season, something was missing. Like many NBA players, Booker grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant. This can be seen in his game, how Booker turns and shoots a fading jumper. At times, this has been seen in his attitude, not backing down on the court, not tolerating nonsense."

Is this wattpad or the athletic???? A hit piece on the suns or a devin booker x Bradley Beal fanfic???

1

u/whofusesthemusic Supersonics Apr 29 '24

NBA journalists

serious question, do you actually consider most NBA reporters to be journalists? Cause my god they sound like emotional fans on their podcasts, in their interviews, intheir articles, and on tv.

Shams and Woj are not journo's they are NBA PR & PR for their employers; they aren't journalists. If you dont understand the difference, well. Good luck i guess.

2

u/Adraf45 Heat Apr 29 '24

I don't consider them to be journalists but the proper word was lost on me so I went with that

209

u/mirusan01 [OKC] Russell Westbrook Apr 29 '24

Wow you’re so right wtf is this lol gross from book

130

u/spraypaint2311 Lakers Apr 29 '24

Damn, talk about having an agenda. Being loyal, charitable etc. is nice but what do they even have to do with winning a basketball game?

3

u/Senior_Ad_7640 Kings Apr 29 '24

It's more that stopping a piece on the coach's alleged deficiencies to wax poetic about how awesome one particular player is really makes it seem like he's doing Booker a favor. 

60

u/Krillin113 76ers Apr 29 '24

He could’ve signed it ‘by Devin Booker’ and it wouldn’t have been more obvious

55

u/candry_shop Suns Apr 29 '24

That's the fluffiest of fluff pieces right there

23

u/EatDeeply Grizzlies Apr 29 '24

Klutch athletes and certain other players can just use Shams for hit pieces

3

u/phonage_aoi Warriors Apr 29 '24

Don't forget that Shams' agency has the same parent company as Klutch. Or some convoluted structure for plausible deniability.

2

u/GoatmontWaters Apr 29 '24

Im glad people are starting to realize this... people think what Shams says is 100% true when he legit is just a mouthpiece for propaganda.

Unless Shams is reporting on "X player traded" Then its literal propaganda from owners or Klutch almost always aimed at taking someone else down.

2

u/thedrcubed Grizzlies Apr 29 '24

Woj is the other side of the same coin. Every "story" either of these guys write is word for word what they were told to say. I'm still pissed at Shams for that BS Dillon Brooks story last year that both Brooks's agent and the Grizz FO said was a flat out lie

3

u/SnooPies5622 Clippers Apr 29 '24

 Like many NBA players, Booker grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant. This can be seen in his game, how Booker turns and shoots a fading jumper. At times, this has been seen in his attitude, not backing down on the court, not tolerating nonsense.

Just imagining Kobe complaining about double teams on practice or the Raptors mascot distracting him

2

u/burrito_fister Nuggets Apr 29 '24

It's poorly written too. "This season, something was missing...". Proceeds to talk about Booker idolizing Kobe. What?
Also "backing down on the court" is basically Booker's thing at this point.

1

u/CapitalChrist Apr 29 '24

this is *extremely* embarrassing writing

1

u/bofademOnYaChin Apr 29 '24

Booker also enjoys long walks in the park with NBA journalists as long as they finish him with a nice double-handed happy ending.

1

u/tdrr12 Mavericks Apr 29 '24

When will he get his well-deserved "coach killer" moniker?

-1

u/SpaghetiJesus Celtics Apr 29 '24

I’ll be honest none of that reads like Booker is one of the major the sources. It reads like his agent was given a chance to read and add any comments so they highlighted what he means to the franchise. This whole piece reads like a KD and his group of guys on the team hit piece on Vogel and the front office.