With LeBron James and Stephen Curry nearing retirement, the league has no clear next brand ambassador. Changing media landscapes and a new focus on team parity haven’t helped.

If you tuned into the thrilling Game 1 of the N.B.A. Finals on Thursday night, you may have found yourself wondering:

Who are these guys?

There’s no LeBron James, no Stephen Curry. No Lakers, no Knicks, nor even any Celtics. Neither of the teams — the Indiana Pacers or the Oklahoma City Thunder — had been in the N.B.A. finals for more than a decade. To the average sports fan, their rosters are largely unknown.

“I’m not sure I completely buy into the premise of your question,” said Adam Silver, the N.B.A. commissioner, when asked about a finals with limited star power. “I think Shai is an enormous star.”

He was referring to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won the N.B.A.’s Most Valuable Player Award this year after leading

Keep reading this article on Andrew Ross Sorkin - DealBook Section Business New York Times.

Leave a Reply