The NBA and the media that covers it rose to the position of prominence they now enjoy as a truly global sport because of their ability to engage fans with compelling narratives that extend far beyond basketball courts.
But both have sometimes handled those narratives in problematic ways that have caused damage to innocent bystanders, and the scandal surrounding Ime Udoka and the Boston Celtics has been emblematic of that unfortunate tendency. To be clear, the league and its media have been outstanding in their coverage of game-oriented and transactional aspects of the NBA.
