Justice League: The NBA finally decided to stop being silent Israel today

There are leagues that during the break their people mainly get involved in things that somehow, almost always, the injured party is women.

And then, sometimes - I'm not saying it's always like this - it ends with the quarterback getting a huge contract on a historic scale.

And there are leagues, even if during the break their people get involved in things in which the injured party is women, somehow one message that comes out of this is that we are, overall, on the right path.

There is an improvement

Because while completely erasing such cases is not really possible, the response to them can tell a different story and push a narrative that can really help create a positive change in the world.

So while Deshaun Watson - whose number of complaints (official and unofficial) that he sexually harassed (mainly massages) climbed into the tens - receives an unprecedented contract of 230 million dollars for 5 years, with all the money guaranteed to him (an unprecedented event in the NFL) in the NBA in particular , and in American basketball in general, things look a little different.

Miles Bridges.

beat his wife vigorously,

Miles Bridges, who beat his wife vigorously, was supposed to be one of the most sought-after players this summer, after a record season with the Charlotte Hornets.

Instead he is awaiting trial, and no one in the league is willing to touch him.

All this happened only based on the testimony that his wife uploaded to social networks.

There was no need to wait for one investigation or another or for security camera footage.

Although his partner uploaded photos and the hospital report, but even without that the NBA community reacted with a firm "we believe in you".

Later, about two weeks ago, the league announced its conclusions after an investigation it carried out following an ESPN investigation from last year, which revealed a series of misogynistic, racist and disturbing behaviors on the part of Robert Sarber during his 17 years as owner of the Phoenix Suns.

And indeed, according to most opinion leaders, a $10 million fine and a one-year suspension were "inadequate" punishments on the part of the league - because it does not "force Sarver to sell the club" (which it cannot do without a prior vote of all the other owners).

Sarber.

Hands up, photo: AFP

But whoever took a second breath, read between the lines and understood where the wind was blowing, knew exactly what was going to happen.

What the commissioner of the NBA himself, Adam Silver, must have also known, and that is that the reaction that will be provoked by the conclusions of the investigation will complete the punishment.

And really, from Phoenix star Chris Paul (who for years was the president of the players' organization), through LeBron James (of course), to even one of the other owners of the Suns (besides, as mentioned, countless opinion leaders in the media and social networks) - the wave of criticism that quickly arose was so Powerful that within about a week Sarber himself came out with the announcement of his immediate intention to sell the team.

There is still room to move forward

And as if that wasn't enough, out of nowhere came the story of Boston Celtics coach Ima Yudoka, who only three months after finishing his debut season on the league with an appearance in the NBA Finals finds himself suspended for a year (by the club itself) for having an affair with an employee younger than him.

And yes, you can be cynical about this as well and say that the Celtics kept it a secret while they were conducting an internal investigation, and maybe went out with it to the media because they already knew it was going to be leaked.

And maybe (for sure) they know more than they are telling and that's why the punishment is so severe.

Ima Judoka.

The end of the story?, Photo: Reuters

But the bottom line is that here is a male professional sports organization, which in effect sends home its successful coach because of something that until a few years ago probably would have amounted to the woman leaving the club, and the coach getting a little slap on the hand.

But you can always be cynical.

Even when Becky Hammon becomes the first rookie coach to lead a WNBA team to the championship, there are those who manage to find the embarrassing angle - and mention that she coaches the Las Vegas Aces only because in the NBA no one has let her be a head coach yet, even though she certainly already deserved And in such a way.

We will try, with your permission, to stay today for a moment with the connecting line between all these events, and to remember that development and progress is not a linear process.

But victories, even ugly ones, are worth quite a bit.

Because changing my friends is not a cup tournament - one loss does not end the story.

The season is long, and it bends towards justice.

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