--- title: "Adopting North Korean basketball rules would be a literal game-changer for the NBA" date: "2025-06-11" modified: "2025-06-11" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/adopting-north-korean-basketball-rules-would-be-a-literal-game-changer-for-the-nba/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Sports" tags: - "Entertainment" - "North Korea" - "Sports" --- # Adopting North Korean basketball rules would be a literal game-changer for the NBA ![north korean basketball kim jong un]() *Comrade Kim Jong Un declares "nothing but net" deserves extra points. (Korean Central News Agency)* The NBA might once again be [experiencing a ratings slump](), but that all could change if the National Basketball Association just adopted some North Korean basketball rules. Negative points, bonuses for finesse, and a lower basket are just a few of the glorious people's revolutionary basketball innovations that could make NBA games more fun and more watchable. **Also Read: [Here’s what happened when North Korea actually hit an American battleship]()** It's not that there's necessarily anything wrong with the league's current rules, but the 2025 Finals [ratings were down 24%]() compared to the previous year's. The 2025 ratings controversy was likely due to the teams competing for the championship. Oklahoma City and Indianapolis are not among the country's largest sports markets, despite the success their teams have achieved over the years. But the NFL doesn't have a market problem, which could be a massive issue for the NBA. Cord-cutting and the trouble with tracking real viewership only compound the NBA's issues. In the NFL, [the smallest fan bases]() to reach a Super Bowl are the Los Angeles Chargers, the Tennessee Titans, and the Indianapolis Colts. Their relatively small sizes did nothing to dampen the ratings of their championship appearances, which drew 83.4, 88.5, and 93.2 million viewers, respectively. So it might be that for the NBA, the fault is not in their stars; it's in themselves. So if LeBron James truly wants [Christmas Day to be the NBA's day](), maybe it's time to start looking for some changes—and the league could begin by looking north of the 38th Parallel. ![north korean basketball]() *North Korean Ri Myung-hun would have been the tallest player ever in the NBA, but the Trading With The Enemy Act prevented him from joining the league. (Korean Central News Agency)* It's a well-known fact that the ruling Kim Family loves basketball. Kim Jong Un met repeatedly with NBA legend Dennis Rodman during the first Trump Administration for some good, old-fashioned basketball diplomacy. Kim's father, Kim Jong-il, [reportedly loved basketball so much]() that he wrote a book called “We Must Put Efforts to Developing Basketball.” He even provided instructions on how to train and practice for the sport. By 1999, the elder Kim ordered that every high school and military installation had to build a basketball court. They didn't have any food, but they could play basketball. He also created the North Korean basketball rules, which aren't as crazy as one might think. ## North Korean Basketball Rules - Slam Dunks are now worth three points. - Field goals scored from beyond the imperialist three-point line that don't touch the rim are worth four points. - There is a glorious four-point line. - Missing a free throw or dunk costs the team a point. - Points can be deducted for missed passes, missed catches, traveling, and three-second violations. - Any field goal scored in the last three seconds of a game is worth eight points. These revolutionary rule changes would serve to make the games not only more physical for the players, but the physicality would also give viewers whose teams aren't playing a reason to tune in. The anti-traveling rule alone would cost championship teams dozens of points, while reinforcing the fundamentals of the game. No longer would you be able to watch only the last 30 seconds to get a feel for the whole game. Imagine a close game where one team has to keep the opposing team from getting close enough to score, but runs the risk of a foul, sparking a free throw that could change the entire game. The courtside drama at a Knicks game alone would cause a celebrity riot. Just watch these street teams play an exhibition using North Korean basketball rules at a Brooklyn gym: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoKr5KIjhio Although North Korean teams publicly played by these rules on at least two occasions, it looks like the regime abandoned them a long time ago. The North appears to have adopted the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, but the sport remains one of the most popular in North Korea, despite its decadent American origins. There's no doubt that Marshal Kim Jong Un will be watching the NBA Finals, even if most of America may not be. ### Don’t Miss the Best of Mighty Sports - [**The branches of the military re-imagined as major sports leagues**]() - []()[**5 sports stars who saw heavy combat in the US military**]() - []()[**This NFL player was initially barred from enlistment for being too big**]() ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()