What are the chances that not one single NBA player is using PEDs throughout their careers? Very slim to none; however, the amount of players that have been caught in recent years has been so few, that I could count them on both hands. In addition to that, those that have been caught are not relatively big names.
As stated in the article on Complex Sports, There have been articles debunking the myths about how PEDs don’t mesh with basketball players because brute strength and muscle, the traditional, Ben Affleck inspired example of ‘roids, clashes with the prototypical lean, athletic body that floats over the NBA hardwood. Anyone who actually knows about PEDs knows that’s hooey. There are well-researched articles explaining the rationale and benefits of modern PEDs in basketball while debunking the efficacy of the testing––even the current HGH testing, added before the 2015-16 season. One usually thinks of a bulked up athlete when thinking about the use of PED, and that is not necessarily the typical body build of a NBA player. The need to be swift and nimble and able to fly through the air at the drop of a dime. Would the use of PEDs in fact slow them down and keep them grounded?
So what is the issue? It seems that NBA fans simply do not care even if players are using it. A statement was made that even if a player gets negative test results, there is usually some type of chatter if they are doping or not. Does this lead to a theory that the league just deals with it case by case behind closed doors? This could be possible simply because the NBA has smaller rosters than any other sports league. In addition, there is only a limited number of Superstars on each team. If the big names start to go down, what will happen to the league then. It is very possible that the NBA has PED cases just like the other leagues, but choose to handle them on their own instead of the eye of the public.
Ryan Upshaw
https://www.complex.com/sports/2018/01/why-theres-never-been-a-ped-scandal-in-the-nba
Group 4-Sport Management Seminar 