The NBA is like a lot of American culture: while we follow the money and blame the wall street types, the real corruption is Madison Avenue, the marketing people. Marketing makes the NBA more like the WWF than like a sport: and that is what is disgusting to a sports fan. And the marketing of stars and "stories" goes all the way through the entire NBA.
The marketing is that Antetokounmpo is a great basketball player, he is not. He gets called for 2+ offensive fouls a game, but deserves 8-10. He pushes people over and drags them down to the floor on defense and calls it 'playing hard.' Compared to Al Horford or even Rob Williams, he is less skilled. But the narrative is that he is great and players, coaches, refs, announcers, and cameramen, I am sure have to support the narrative.
I recall one game when Embiid speared Rob Williams in the Chest with a vicious elbow. Rob barely got up and down the court for two plays and was out of the game soon after. Rob did not play the next day for 'personal reasons.' The next week Brain Scalabrine mentioned on air that the team was working with Rob about playing hurt and that there was something wrong with Rob playing through pain. When the refs are really terrible the announcers, like Scalabrine, make excuses, blame the players, extol the new more physical NBA, and so on.
I enjoy watching Rob Williams use his timing and quick leaping ability to block shots. I don't enjoy watching him pummeled by goons like Embiid and Antetokounmpo.
I use the word "goons" for their playing style and not their full character. For Embiid's character, I was impressed that he at least is not a hypocrite when Siakam hit him. Embiid was quoted "I think that guy broke my face," and didn't make any angry statements and called it playoff basketball. Antetokounmpo also seems to have no hard feelings: when asked if he hated Marcus Smart, he replied that "Marcus plays hard, like me."
The "star" system in the NBA makes it like the WWF. I prefer sports without a script.