The 2025 NBA playoffs have delivered pure basketball excellence, capping off a season packed with shocking trades, fired coaches, rising young stars, and controversial lottery outcomes. While TV ratings slightly dipped during the regular season, the league signed an unprecedented $76 billion media rights deal with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon last July that begins this October-proof that in the battle for America's attention, basketball remains king.

With this massive financial windfall secured and ready for implementation, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently appeared on the Numbers on the Board podcast with a specific request for media covering the league.

"It's not a suggestion that people shouldn't ask tough questions or be critical," Silver explained. "But I would say, enjoy basketball, that sometimes I think that they don't spend enough time talking about why people love this game."

This sentiment isn't surprising coming from the executive who started his NBA career as head of NBA Entertainment during the iconic "I Love This Game" era. But in today's fragmented media landscape, Silver's wish for more positive coverage faces significant challenges.

The NBA-a majority-Black league where players rock tank tops and shorts instead of helmets or caps-has transformed American sports culture since the 1976 ABA-NBA merger. The Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry launched the league into cable TV prominence, setting the stage for Michael Jordan's global dominance.

Today's NBA boasts a powerful social media presence that other leagues envy, with superstar LeBron James alone commanding over 160 million followers on Instagram. From Allen Iverson challenging the establishment to today's outspoken superstars, the league's cultural impact remains unmatched-despite ongoing attempts to manage public perception.

What Silver doesn't seem to fully appreciate is how today's media environment differs from the NBA Entertainment days of VHS highlight tapes and Saturday morning Inside Stuff episodes. In 2025's social media landscape, the league simply cannot dictate how fans engage with its product.

Mike Breen's iconic "BANG!" calls during critical playoff moments now reach nationwide audiences in real-time, while player highlights, beefs, and controversies spread instantly across platforms.

The reality? Silver may not get his wish for consistently positive coverage, but he possesses something far more valuable-the attention of millions, particularly young, diverse audiences that advertisers desperately want to reach.

As ESPN prepares for another decade of NBA Finals coverage while NBCUniversal returns to basketball broadcasting and Amazon brings games to streaming platforms this fall, the message is clear: basketball's cultural relevance-fueled by Black excellence, player personalities, and viral moments-makes it America's most valuable sports property, regardless of who's "enjoying" the coverage.

In the attention economy of 2025, Adam Silver can request more love from media all he wants-but the $76 billion bag signed last summer suggests he's already winning where it counts.