# Hypothetical new basketball league. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 6, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627 "2019-03-06T13:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CastletonSnob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ea924/32.png) [@CastletonSnob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CastletonSnob)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/1 "2019-03-06T13:26:15Z")
Let’s say a new basketball organization came to compete with the NBA. How would you like the rules to differ from the NBA’s, and what cities would get teams? I’m thinking St. Louis and Buffalo. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/2 "2019-03-06T15:03:09Z")
They can only use their feet like in soccer. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/3 "2019-03-06T15:11:32Z")
Play it like HORSE ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/4 "2019-03-06T15:19:23Z")
No 3 point line. 20 second shot clock. Strict traveling calls. Upon a foul, the team has the option to either take foul shots or inbound the ball with a fresh shot clock and 20 seconds taken from the game clock (to a minimum of 1 second, game cannot end due to foul). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/5 "2019-03-06T15:29:22Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > They can only use their feet like in soccer. Make it more like the [Mayan ball game](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjLUDMTJnAI) and you might be onto something. Bring back the blood sacrifices and it may just be a ratings winner. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/6 "2019-03-06T16:17:24Z")
Roller blades. On ice. Blindfolded. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/7 "2019-03-06T17:58:29Z")
> [@CastletonSnob](#): > > Let’s say a new basketball organization came to compete with the NBA. How would you like the rules to differ from the NBA’s, and what cities would get teams? I’m thinking St. Louis and Buffalo. As long as we’re talking about cities that don’t have pro basketball teams anymore, why not New York City ? LOL ---
**Author:** ![BeagleJesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5daacb/32.png) [@BeagleJesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeagleJesus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/8 "2019-03-06T18:13:06Z")
–\> No timeouts and the game clock will only be stopped at half time and end of game. –\> Substitutions will be done on the fly in much the same way it’s done in hockey. –\> No foul shots. If a team commits a foul then it’s ball out of bounds with a fresh shot clock. After a team commits 5 fouls in a quarter 2 points will be taken from their point total. After 10 fouls in a quarter 2 points will taken from their point total and 2 points will be awarded to the other team. –\> Bring back old school defense (the stuff they used to do before Ron Artest ran into the stands to beat the shit out of a fan). –\> Every team will be required to have AT LEAST 1 guy with an afro like Dr J. And before anyone asks, yes, Will Ferrell’s afro in Semi-Pro does count toward this requirement. ---
**Author:** ![Covfefe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee7513/32.png) [@Covfefe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covfefe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/9 "2019-03-06T19:06:38Z")
Institute a minor league system that pays its best players at least $100k for a season’s worth of service time. In order to join, part of your binding agreement is you can’t sign a contract with an NBA team for at least 5 years, something like that. Most of the young NBA players with the best potential played one year of NCAA ball and then were drafted into the NBA, their best options given the minimum age rule. Since being an amateur as an adult for a year is no great shakes, the idea is to fill that niche, poach the best prospects, and grow interest that way. Getting some of the elite 16 and 17 year olds to play in the minors in this system at least part time is also an idea. No overtime; if a game’s tied at the end of regulation the next score wins. No stoppages in play for fouls until there’s 2 minutes left in regulation, except for dangerous situations like flagrant fouls. Booth review would determine fouls as the game progresses and teams could be awarded free throw attempts, perhaps between quarters. Award 2.5 points for field goals made between 15 and 24 feet from the basket. Change the defensive 3 second rule to 5 seconds. Incentivize players to wear protective padding, armor and headgear. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/10 "2019-03-06T19:32:40Z")
> [@BeagleJesus](#): > > –\> Every team will be required to have AT LEAST 1 guy with an afro like Dr J. And before anyone asks, yes, Will Ferrell’s afro in Semi-Pro does count toward this requirement. I’m thinking the [red-white-and-blue ABA basketball](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8c/f3/c2/8cf3c2995e5fdb33e799c2382917f249.jpg) would go well with that. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/11 "2019-03-06T19:45:53Z")
\*\*Cities: \*\* Anchorage, Honolulu (this might be some travel headache,) Little Rock, Boise, Spokane, Buffalo, Albuquerque, San Diego, Las Vegas, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Charleston, Mobile, Tallahassee, Minot, Cincinnati (16 in total) **Rules** : Same as NBA mostly, but tougher penalties for flopping, a 20-second shot clock, and also instead of individual games, play series like in baseball: 3 consecutive games at one team’s place to reduce all that travel. Season is round-robin; every team plays each other once at home and away. Top eight teams advance to knockout-style playoff tournament which is just one game at a time (NFL style); win or go home. Every player earns between $100k to $1 million a year, but nothing below or above that. However, there are big monetary bonuses (doled out by the league, not teams) for playoff wins. Champion team gets a bonus of $10 million to be divvied up equally among all employees of the team that season. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/12 "2019-03-06T21:27:10Z")
Minot? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/13 "2019-03-06T21:34:08Z")
Shirts vs skins ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/14 "2019-03-06T21:51:34Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Minot? Why not Minot? I mean, they could draw spectators from the entire Minot micropolitan area. (No, I did not make that word up. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/15 "2019-03-06T22:46:28Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Why not Minot? It’s cold, I’m told. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2019, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/16 "2019-03-06T23:34:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s cold, I’m told. And, when it’s not, it’s hot. (The record low temperature there is -49 F, and the record high is 109 F. :eek: ) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/17 "2019-03-07T03:25:57Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > And, when it’s not, it’s hot. > > (The record low temperature there is -49 F, and the record high is 109 F. :eek: ) Damn they need to fix their thermostat. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2019, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/18 "2019-03-07T06:23:29Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Damn they need to fix their thermostat. No kidding! I found the records on the Minot page on Wikipedia, and that -49 sounded crazy, so I did a little more digging – [it happened in February, 1936.](http://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2016/02/1936-coldest-winter-ever/) There’s a town to the southwest of Minot, called Parshall, where they had a weather reporting station, and they recorded a low of -60 F that day. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/19 "2019-03-08T22:05:52Z")
Instead of foul shots, use a penalty box. Each shot in the old system is worth 30 seconds in the box. One-and-one in gives 45 seconds. Each point scored by the opposing team while in the box reduces your time remaining by 15 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627/20 "2019-03-08T22:14:07Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > **Rules** : … instead of individual games, play series like in baseball: 3 consecutive games at one team’s place to reduce all that travel. Season is round-robin; every team plays each other once at home and away. Hmmm those don’t seem to be compatible suggestions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-new-basketball-league/830627.md?page=2)