You are an NBA scout, or if you’ve worked your way up, even an executive. You’ve circled Jan. 9 on your calendar, carving out a spot on your busy schedule to watch UCLA host No. 1 Arizona. You’re excited about this one, and you’re right to be. Awaiting you is the best atmosphere Pauley Pavilion has seen in years, as well as a sick, one-handed reverse alley-oop by lottery prospect Aaron Gordon.
But you try and roll into Westwood about — oh, an hour or so before tipoff. After spending half that time stuck in the long line of traffic leading into Lot 8, another realization: There are 44 others who requested (and were granted) scouting credentials to this game. You get seated far above your usual accommodations, much too distant to hear any on-court expletives or see any beads of sweat.
And so, you start complaining to the media.
Here it goes …
Plenty of grumbling from NBA execs from UCLA-Arizona last night about how poorly they were treated. "I'll never go back to Pauley" one says.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 10, 2014
Another NBA GM texts: "clearly they don't want NBA people there evaluating their guys. I just hope their next batch of recruits know that."
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 10, 2014
They were seated in the nosebleeds. Couldn't see anything. Wasted trip RT @JohnCon973 can you cite an example? just gonna call it grumbling?
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) January 10, 2014
Because basketball can only be properly evaluated from within 30 feet or so.