AI Can Write NBA Finals Columns in Seconds—Should Sportswriters Be Worried?

AI in Sports Writing: A Cautionary Tale

When an entire column about the NBA Finals can be written by artificial intelligence in just seconds, it’s time for writers to take notice—and maybe worry a little.

Here’s the scenario: a writer wanted to craft a thoughtful piece about rooting for NBA teams from Indiana and Oklahoma City, despite not being a fan of the states themselves. Instead of writing it by hand, the writer fed this unusual request to an AI tool, curious if it could capture the nuanced tone.

What happened next was eye-opening. The AI delivered a complete column in two seconds—one that was coherent, relatable, and surprisingly on point. This wasn’t the robotic nonsense many expect; it was something resembling a genuine voice, capturing the contradictions and quirks of sports fandom.

Why Like Teams But Not Their Cities?

There’s a strange honesty in supporting a team while disliking its hometown. Take Indiana: often dismissed as just the “Crossroads of America,” it’s not exactly a tourist magnet. Yet the Indiana Pacers embody a gritty, fundamental style of basketball that resonates with many.

Or Oklahoma City, known more for tornadoes and oil than charm. Still, the Thunder represent youthful energy and grit—a small-market team punching above its weight. The love for these teams isn’t about geography or local cuisine; it’s about the game itself, the players, and the shared moments that sports deliver.

Sports as an Escape, Not a Geography Lesson

Fans don’t need to visit a place or embrace its culture fully to root for its team. Sports offer an escape, a way to belong to something beyond everyday life. It’s the players’ hustle, the tension of a close game, the thrill of a buzzer-beater that hooks us—not the city’s tourist attractions or dining options.

This paradox—that you can cheer for Indiana and Oklahoma City but skip visiting either—is part of what makes sports fandom unique and personal.

What This Means for Writers

For writers, especially those covering sports or culture, this story highlights two things:

• AI tools can produce surprisingly thoughtful content quickly, even capturing subtle human contradictions.
• Human writers still bring irreplaceable context, emotion, and nuance, especially when reflecting on complex feelings like loyalty and identity.

Rather than fearing AI as a threat, writers can use it as a tool to speed up the drafting process or generate fresh angles. But the soul of storytelling—the personal insight, the voice, the lived experience—remains a human strength.

If you’re interested in how AI can assist writers without replacing them, explore courses on AI writing tools and prompt engineering at Complete AI Training. Understanding these tools can help you work smarter, not harder.