Insights Into Cultural Understanding

Over the last twenty years basketball, USA style, has been changing and anyone who is a true fan can see the reason why. Back in the 1980, players started to show up on the NBA hardwood floors who were big, could cross over with ball, and shoot from the 3 point line - Rick Smits, Tony Kukoc, Detlef Schrempf and many others. Most were considered not tough enough for the NBA ’cause we did basketball the right way. While big, they didn’t like to play with their backs to the basket like Patrick Ewing, Shaq and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

That is not the story today. The game has changed and almost all of the change is the result of the continued influx of players from all over the globe. In fact teams comprised of all US born players have had difficulty wining against teams formed with international players. Checking last year’s rosters there are 82 players from 38 countries. If you look closely, you will notice that most of the players belong to teams in the Western Conference. You will also notice that the Western Conference teams have a better win/lose record then those from the East. Many people say that the game, as played by the West’s teams, is a more entertaining game to watch and that they have better “teams”. Better teams?

This confuses the mind. How can it be that players, some of who don’t have a strong command of English (Yao Ming may have an interpreter telling him what the coach says at times), didn’t go to the same church, have different dietary needs, listen to different music etc. and form a better team and a better product. Better teams produce a better product. Regardless of what kind of industry we work in, diverse teams produce a better product that appeals to a larger, global consumer and you can see it in action, every other night or so, on a basketball court.

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