Adam Silver Gets Brutally Honest About NBA’s Major Problem, Demands One Change

As the 2025 NBA playoffs intensify, NBA commissioner Adam Silver touched on the state of the league’s media coverage, expressing a desire for more positivity.

There has been much conversation about teams’ ever-increasing nightly 3-point attempts and players’ tendency to take time off for load management. Many fans have questioned the modern-day NBA’s competitiveness and entertainment value, attributing its early-season television ratings decline to these issues.

Some media members have also been critical of the league’s current landscape, including TNT’s beloved “Inside the NBA” crew. Meanwhile, retired players frequently feud with active players, while talk shows zero in on sensationalized topics and endless GOAT debates.

All of this can sometimes result in frustrating viewing experiences for fans. However, Silver thinks there is a simple fix to the problem.

Adam Silver Calls for More Informative and Celebratory NBA Media Coverage

During an appearance on the “Numbers on The Board” podcast on Thursday, Silver was asked, “Is there anything about how the NBA is covered that you would change?” Without trying to disparage any particular media outlet, he highlighted how some analysts tend to fixate too much on the game’s negative aspects.

“I respect the job the media does,” Silver began. “It’s not a suggestion that people shouldn’t ask tough questions, or be critical, or talk about things they don’t like about the game. But I would say … sometimes I think they don’t spend enough time talking about why people love this game.”

Silver then relayed former Duke University men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski’s view of how basketball should be covered.

“Recently, I was at a meeting with Mike Krzyzewski, former coach at Duke, and he condensed it with this headline. He said, ‘We should educate people about the game and celebrate the game,'” Silver said. “Educate and celebrate. And I wish there was more of that.”

Silver Wants NBA Media Coverage To Appeal to a Broader Fan Base

Continuing his discourse surrounding the NBA’s media coverage, Silver noted that he is excited about the ways the league can cater to a more diverse audience. He suggested shows featuring pundits breaking down live games in a conversational manner, coverage centered on “X’s and O’s” and broadcasts including surface-level “rudimentary explanations.”

“There’s really going to be unlimited options, and that, in terms of creating more engagement around the game, is really exciting to me,” Silver said.

However, it’s uncertain whether Silver will be able to convince the mainstream media to embrace his vision.