Thanks to its dramatic 149 day lockout, the NBA remained at the top of the headlines on nearly every sports website despite such attention-worthy topics as the Green Bay Packers’ undefeated season, Albert Pujols’ free agency period and Louisiana State’s domination of NCAA football.

The lockout ended Nov. 26 when the owners and the players’ association agreed to a ten-year deal. The shortened 66-game season is set to start with five games on Christmas day.

“My love has returned,” said Harry Jordan-Young, junior at the Mclean School of Maryland. “The NBA.”

The league hopes to retain its fans after the months of bitter feuding nearly caused the season to be cancelled altogether.

“A lot of people are talking about how the lockout ‘alienated’ fans and that everybody is going to be angry with the NBA and lose interest in it,” junior Ryan Brand said. “But truthfully, two months from now, nobody is going to think about the lockout anymore and the league is going to go back to growing in popularity. With Blake Griffin, John Wall, the Knicks duo, the Heat trio, the NBA is just too exciting for the fans not to come back.”

During the lockout, fans used their extra time to catch up on studying or focus on other local teams.

“I had plenty of school work and stuff to fill up the time,” said Hannah Harrington, a freshman at the University of Vermont. “But I went to a charity game to get my basketball fix.”

Although the NBA stalled its fans’ lives for four months, most fans are glad to have it back.

“The Wizards are such a huge part of my life,” Brand said. “I really wanted to get back to following NBA basketball.”