When someone asks me what my favorite part of the NBA is, my response is usually pretty immediate.
“The humanity.”
In the NFL, players are so swaddled in equipment that it’s difficult to see the players faces and body language. In the NHL, the speed and skill are impressive but the gliding motion across the ice makes the players seem more like video game avatars than people. MLB is probably the most relatable sport, featuring people standing for 3 hours and then drinking Gatorade anyway. However, baseball is largely a solemn, repeated ceremony, where rules are important and immediately trump any display of individuality,
In the NBA, it’s more clear that the athletes you are watching are people.