The media seems to have a fascination with things that are that should not be. What often is captivating is not always what it seems in reality. Such is the story of a young man named Matthew Dellavedova. For two weeks, he became the Cinderella man of the NBA, and encapsulated what all of us couch potatoes wanted to be, wishing we could get up on our feet and say that we too, as nonathletic and uncoordinated as we are, could play with the best of them in the NBA. A man who went undrafted coming out of college, had an amazing finals run with narratives discussing his improbable ability to shut down league MVP Stephen Curry. Ultimately, it was all for naught, and all of the people who bought his now sold out jerseys are looking for the return policies on them. It is interesting though, a person that can appeal to the every man, someone whose narrative is so interesting and deviates from the norm, can find a way to become a media darling.
This has not been the first nor the last time we will see something like this, a novelty, a brand. The silhouette that all of us can watch and try and emulate, imagine that we too can be right up there with the best even if we are nothing special. There is just something about seeing someone who is not spectacular in any given way that motivates us to root for them. However, as his wins disappeared, so did his fame and support. The irony I found on ESPN was how quickly people's perceptions and the articles themselves seemed to turn against him, from his play style to his character, though he never asked for the attention like some other players did. We will just have to wait until next year to see the next big thing.
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