Getty Image / Ethan Miller
The game of basketball is already a fast sport. Especially these days where teams fly down the court and score within the first 10 seconds of possession.
Even so, it seems NBA color commentator Jeff Van Gundy has some ideas on how to make the game even quicker.
In fact, he wants the game to be complete within a two hour time span and he shares some ideas on how to accomplish that goal.
According to Sports Illustrated, Van Gundy was asked during a conference call about “what he thought could be done ‘to continue evolving with the modern basketball coverage and keeping consumers engaged with the broadcast?'”
His response proved to be rather bizarre, so brace yourself.
Jeff Van Gundy proposed the NBA eliminate free throws until the final four minutes of the game, per Sports Illustrated. Here’s his explanation.
“Well, the thing I would do is, I would try to get it to a two-hour window, and my biggest rule change would be to eliminate free throws until the final four minutes of the game. So if you’re fouled in the penalty, you’d just get the two points. If you’re fouled in active shooting, you’d get the two points or three points until the final four minutes of the game.”
I told you. It’s a pretty wild idea. However, it does make you wonder if we’d start seeing less fouls throughout the game.
On the other hand, basketball has always had free throws. So removing them for the majority of the game would be a major change to the sport.
But Jeff Van Gundy wasn’t done there, as he provided another answer for how he would shorten NBA games.
“I’d also cut back on halftime. I think it’s a waste of time. Cut it down to like five minutes. Then we also wouldn’t have to hear the term ‘halftime adjustments,’ the most cliché, overused term in NBA basketball history. [But] those would be my two things. Speed the game up. Keep the window as short as you can. Try to fit it into two hours.”
Look, maybe it could work but Van Gundy is suggesting some major changes to the sport. So, it’s hard to believe this would ever come to fruition.
Meanwhile, it seems NBA fans hate Jeff Van Gundy’s suggestions.
I feel like nba games are already fast
— Mr. Susan (@aaronfelix14) May 31, 2023
He has a point though.
Ever notice these plans to speed up sports always involve fucking with the DNA of the game instead of cutting down on commerical time?
— Harry James (@FugiFair2) May 31, 2023
I can get behind this one.
Just sim the regular season on 2k and play out the playoffs
— Max Mitchell (@maxmitchell21) May 31, 2023
Van Gundy is known for speaking his opinion, whether it be a popular topic or not.
Nonetheless, we probably don’t have to worry about the NBA removing free throws from the game.
If anything, this is just a whacky concept that nobody saw coming.