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NBA players more unified than in '98
Source: Agencies |
July 2, 2011, Saturday
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ANTAWN Jamison was a rookie the last time the NBA locked out its players in a labor dispute. As the Cleveland Cavaliers forward prepares for a second work stoppage, he senses a key element missing from 13 years ago: player unity.
"You had guys saying one thing and you had other guys going behind their back and saying another thing," Jamison said of the 1998 lockout. "The owners knew then they eventually would buckle."
This time, Jamison insists the players are prepared, educated and willing to sacrifice an entire season instead of giving into the owners' demands.
Jamison predicted the labor dispute will either be settled before games are missed or the season will be lost. He says that unlike in early 1999 when the player "buckled," there's more togetherness and mentioned stars such as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade who are strongly supporting the union. It's why just as the NBA was officially announcing on Thursday night it was locking out its players, Jamison predicted the labor dispute will either be settled before games are missed - or the entire season will be lost.
"I think in '98-99, we didn't think it would be a long, drawn out process," Jamison said after speaking to children at a school in his hometown. "Just the unity, the guys understanding what we're facing and what we're up against is totally different than what it was when I first got into the league."
Nearing the end of his career and due one of the largest salaries in the league next season - about US$15 million - Jamison would have plenty to lose if next season is wiped out. But Jamison insists there's unity from the rookie draft picks to the league's stars.
"You had guys saying one thing and you had other guys going behind their back and saying another thing," Jamison said of the 1998 lockout. "The owners knew then they eventually would buckle."
This time, Jamison insists the players are prepared, educated and willing to sacrifice an entire season instead of giving into the owners' demands.
Jamison predicted the labor dispute will either be settled before games are missed or the season will be lost. He says that unlike in early 1999 when the player "buckled," there's more togetherness and mentioned stars such as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade who are strongly supporting the union. It's why just as the NBA was officially announcing on Thursday night it was locking out its players, Jamison predicted the labor dispute will either be settled before games are missed - or the entire season will be lost.
"I think in '98-99, we didn't think it would be a long, drawn out process," Jamison said after speaking to children at a school in his hometown. "Just the unity, the guys understanding what we're facing and what we're up against is totally different than what it was when I first got into the league."
Nearing the end of his career and due one of the largest salaries in the league next season - about US$15 million - Jamison would have plenty to lose if next season is wiped out. But Jamison insists there's unity from the rookie draft picks to the league's stars.
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