Basketball legend Jerry Colangelo is venerated in NBA and international circles.
Colangelo resurrected Team USA basketball and is one of the most influential executives in league history. When he speaks, the league listens.
Colangelo spoke recently with Yahoo Sports and revealed that he believes the team is ready for new teams.
“Personally, I do. OK, I do,” Colangelo said. “And I think you just hit on a couple of markets that make the most sense, [Seattle and Las Vegas].”
Las Vegas would be a new market for the NBA, while Seattle would be a familiar stomping ground.
Colangelo believes the league has plenty of talent to promote to help seed the new teams.
“The stars continue to come,” Colangelo said. “[Mikal] Bridges in Brooklyn, he gets 45 in his [third] game. That’s a new [star]. I don’t worry about, ‘Well, how are you going to populate these new teams?’ There’s plenty of talent and more stars on the rise.”
Colangelo also believes the spot as a whole is in a good position.
“I think basketball is in great shape. I think the game has grown so much. And I can think back. I used to hear things said about other players in the league. Well, who’s gonna replace Oscar Robertson, who’s gonna replace Jerry West? Who’s gonna replace Bill Russell, there was another wave of people, and another wave and the waves keep coming.”
Only time will tell if Colangelo’s prophecy comes to fruition.
