Both Shaq and Dwyane Wade hate the NBA's new ball. The NBA says the ball "is a microfiber composite with moisture management that provides superior grip and feel throughout the course of a game."
Shaq, though, says the ball "Feels like one of those cheap balls that you buy at the toy store, indoor-outdoor balls. I look for shooting percentages to be way down and turnovers to be way up, because when the ball gets wet you can't really control it."
Wade thinks "rebounds are going to go up this year. All around the league, I think there's going to be a lot of bricks thrown up there early on."
Now, would you alter your draft because of any possible impact from the new ball? Doubtful, I'd guess, because, for one, it is impossible to know if Shaq and Wade's criticisms are valid.
Shaq's general adversion to changing the ball just for change's sake is valid though: "The NBA's been around how long? A hundred years? Fifty years? So to change it now, whoever that person is needs his college degree revoked. It's a terrible decision."
Posted by Jason Thornbury at 10/2/2006 5:13:00 PM
