Among the many enjoyable regular segments on NBA on TNT, “Gone Fishin’” ranks among the most popular. When seasons come to an end in the postseason or even if a franchise is eliminated from playoff contention, you can expect TNT to have a graphic with players photoshopped onto various vacation destinations.
The tradition stems at least partly from the sarcastic saying “1-2-3, Cancun!” that has lived within NBA circles for years. It’s a sardonic saying centered around the idea of NBA players taking vacations mainly to Cancun — at least many years ago — and how their focus shifts from the current season to what is happening after the season once it becomes evident their fate is all but sealed.