Nets carrying ‘delusional confidence’ they can defy odds with
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
The Brooklyn Nets have set a goal of 50 wins this season. Let’s just sit with that number for a second, because the betting markets have them pegged for under 25. A team that was a first-round exit last year—if they even made it that far—is now talking about doubling their projected output like they’re ordering a second helping of mashed potatoes.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Oddmakers project the Nets will win fewer than 25 games. The delusionally confident Nets think they can win twice that many. They’ve set it as a goal, talking about it privately and now publicly. “That’s the goal from Day 1.
We said our goal is to get 50 wins,” Terance Mann said Monday when asked
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The Brooklyn Nets have set a goal of 50 wins this season. Let’s just sit with that number for a second, because the betting markets have them pegged for under 25. A team that was a first-round exit last year—if they even made it that far—is now talking about doubling their projected output like they’re ordering a second helping of mashed potatoes. Terance Mann said it out loud on Monday, and you have to admire the nerve. But nerve doesn't win basketball games.
This is the delusion of talent without track record. Every team in the NBA believes they're better than the oddsmakers say. That's practically a job requirement. But there's a difference between internal confidence and public proclamation when you haven't earned the right to talk. The Nets haven't. They've got a roster that looks good on paper if you squint and ignore the fact that half the guys are better known for their podcasts than their fourth-quarter production.
Maybe we should be less cynical here. The alternative is a team that rolls over before the season starts, and nobody wants to watch that. Wanting to win is the bare minimum, not a strategy. We've seen this movie before with teams that talk big in October and are checking vacation plans by February. The Nets are banking on a belief that effort can outrun reality. Good luck with that. We're not rooting against them, but we're also not buying season tickets based on a press conference. Show us the wins, then we'll talk.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.