Tomorrow night on TNT at 6 p.m. ET the NBA will announce the 14 reserves selected for the 2015 NBA All-Star Game. The deadline for coaches has already passed, but in the lead-up to the coach vote, teams have started to employ marketing doodads to sell coaches on the worth of their players for inclusion. Predictably, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich finds the “little political packages of propaganda” both “humiliating” and “embarrassing.”
Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express News assembled some recent pre-game quotes from Pop about the politicking that make it clear he finds the whole thing offensive:
Pre-Lakers, Jan. 24: “We got some interesting things in the mail from people who are politicking for their guys. And for everybody who sent me something, I just want them to know it immediately went in the trash can. Such pandering is embarrassing. We got it from several places and it immediately went in the trash can.”
Pre-Milwaukee, Jan. 25: “We make sure we look to see who did not send us humiliating little political packages of propaganda. We cross (those who did) off the list right away.”
To be fair, Popovich was kind of chuckling both times, but his message is clear: This ain’t college, folks. Keep your shameless marketing ploys to yourself.
One example cited by McCarney in his piece came via the Houston Rockets for James Harden, who will likely replace Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup anyway.
They sent out a James Harden Grooming Kit called “Groomed for Greatness.” We’re not making this up, even if it’s hard to believe such PR shenanigans exist at the level of the NBA:
The James Harden Beard Grooming kit. "Groomed for Greatness, courtesy of the Houston Rockets. #OKCThunder pic.twitter.com/ZJMAhzpzbZ
— MikeSherman (@MikeSherman) April 3, 2014
James Harden countered with his beard kit from his "Groomed for Greatness" campaign. pic.twitter.com/kRO7Hsp3Tg
— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio) April 7, 2014
We’ve encountered the same type of stuff in the mail ourselves for brands that want some DAP. While we’re not wealthy enough to turn down free stuff, ethically it’s not a pleasant feeling, and like most things, Popovich nails it on the head.
What do you think?
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