Lebanese players next year – via SportsCode (By Mohammad Noureddine)

In an attempt to take basketball in Lebanon to the next level, the Lebanese Basketball teams and the Federation have met and agreed on a 3-year plan:

Year 1: Allow 3 foreign players instead of 2 in order to push salaries down and make the league more competitive.

Year 2: Allow 5 foreign players instead of 3 and limit the number of Lebanese players to 4 in each team. During this year:
– Lebanese players will be encouraged to take cheer-leading lessons to entertain the crowds during time outs.
– Water boy and ball boy positions will be assigned to Lebanese players and staff to keep them warmed up in case all foreign players got injured.
– Lebanese players who stay on the bench for more than 5 games will have to pay an entrance fee.
– Lebanese players who wish to play for more than 5 minutes per game will have to pay for their own jersey to support local produce.
– Lebanese players will be allowed to sell peanuts, popcorn and soft drinks from the bench.
– Fans will no longer be allowed to chant slogans in Arabic.

Year 3: Ban all Lebanese players from the league and rename the league from FLB to the RNBAPL (Retired NBA Players League). During this year:
– Lebanese players will be assigned special seats with the fans but will have to pay for their own jerseys and tickets.
– Ball boy will have to carry a Lebanese flag to remind everyone this is a Lebanese league.
– Lebanese players who wish to play for local teams can only apply as foreigners if they have non-Lebanese passports.
– Last but not least, Ghayyath Deebra will have to cover the whole game in English.

On a serious note, the decision that was taken today is the dumbest one in Lebanese Basketball history and it will destroy the game for at least the next 2 or 3 years. This federation and all the teams that agreed on 3 foreign players should be ashamed of themselves.

RIP Lebanese Basketball.