A game changer or a gimmick?

In a move that screams, “Why not?” the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) has introduced the four-point shot, a concept so wild even the widely popular NBA hasn’t dared to touch it.

As if basketball wasn’t already hard enough, the PBA decided to crank up the difficulty (or absurdity, depending on how you see it). The question is: Does this really make the game more exciting, or is it just another desperate attempt to bring fans back to Asia’s oldest professional basketball league?

First off, was anyone really clamoring for a four-point shot? Sure, it sounds cool on paper, but so does driving a Ferrari on EDSA. The NBA has been toying with the idea of expanding the three-point line or adding a four-point shot for years, but they haven’t pulled the trigger. Why? Because the NBA knows that sometimes, less is more.

Meanwhile, the PBA, perhaps in a fit of existential dread, decided that adding a four-point shot might be the key to staying relevant. I can almost hear the boardroom discussion: “What do we do to make the PBA exciting again?” “How about more points? Everyone loves points!”

So, does the four-point shot make the game more exciting? Well, that depends on your definition of “exciting.” If by “exciting” you mean watching players chucking up prayers from the half-court line hoping to cash in on an extra point, then yes, this is your jam.

But for the purists who enjoy the fundamentals of basketball, this could feel more like a gimmick than a game-changer. The art of the game lies in the strategic play, the fast breaks, the crisp passing, and the glorious dunks — not in turning basketball into a glorified game of Ala-hoy!

The three-point shot was revolutionary because it introduced a new layer of strategy to the game.

Teams had to figure out how to guard against long-range snipers and balance their offense between inside and outside play. But the four-point shot? It feels like an afterthought, a shiny new toy in a box of already perfectly good toys. It’s the PBA’s way of saying, “Hey, we’re still here! Please pay attention to us!”

And just because something is new doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. Remember New Coke?

The PBA, let’s face it, has been struggling with attendance and viewership in recent years, largely due to the rise of international leagues and the NBA’s ever-growing influence in the Philippines. The introduction of the four-point shot is clearly a move to differentiate the league and create a unique selling point. But will it bring fans back to the arenas, or is it simply going to be another footnote in the league’s history of bizarre decisions?

Let’s be honest — the fans who’ve drifted away from the PBA didn’t leave because they were bored with the three-point shot. They left because the league started to feel stale, repetitive, and, dare I say it, irrelevant. Parity in the once exciting league is dead. Only a few teams manage to win the championships. The rest are like a supporting cast. Adding a four-point shot is like putting a Band-aid on a gaping wound. The real issues aren’t going to be fixed by a new line on the court.

In the end, the four-point shot might elicit a few oohs and ahhs from the crowd, but it’s unlikely to revolutionize the game or the league. It’s a gimmick, plain and simple. A shiny object meant to distract us from the fact that the PBA is struggling to stay relevant in a basketball world that’s increasingly looking elsewhere for its fix.

But who knows? Maybe the next big innovation will be a five-point shot from the stands. At least then we’d have a reason to bring binoculars to the game.

e-mail: mannyangeles27@gmail.com