Larry Bird - It's a black man's game.

On what point? That African Americans are the best athletes in the NBA? That the NBA needs more white superstars?

To who, white people? If so, it's the truth.

 

This is true

N-B-A

Nothin-But-Africans

 

I think he has a point. At the risk of oversimplifying the matter, you look at "fan favorites" that all NBA teams have. Chances are, your team's "fan favorite" is a white guy - not to say that they're fan favorites because they're white, but it is interesting that it doesn't reflect the percentage of white players in the league.

It's the ultimate paradox of fandom - fans want to worship a player, but they also want to relate to them. And I do think the majority of NBA fans think of players as "them", whether it's because of their race, their background or wealth, and do wish for more players like "us".

There is also the self-fulfilling prophecy among white athletes and sports fans that blacks are better athletes than whites and basketball is "their" game.

 

Then I agree with him on both. But when you look at it there haven't been many white superstars besides Bird & Stockton since the 70s. Which coincided with the ABA and above the rim play. I'm white and I think it would be nice to have a white superstar (Wilbon & Kornheiser on PTI today tried rating the current white superstars in the NBA and could only say that Jason Williams of the Grizzlies is a superstar), but I don't care that much. If the greatest white player ever started playing tomorrow I wouldn't care unless he was with the Spurs. I'm white but my favorite all-time players are Dominique Wilkins, David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

I couldn't comment on that. I can honestly say I haven't heard/read a single negative reaction to it.

 

I don't like self-quoting but I can't edit my post so here goes: What most people sports writers and players seem to be saying about white superstars is more along the lines of needing more white-American superstars not Euro players.

I bring this up because I do think Dirk is well on his way to becoming a superstar and that guys like Peja (not dominant enough besides his shooting) and AK-47 (still young and raw) might get that chance also.

 

This is part of what I mean by the self-fulfilling prophecy of the white basketball player.

I suspect that a lot of white athletes have given up on becoming basketball players because they don't think it's their sport any more.
That doesn't seem to be the case for European players - I don't think European athletes are as self-conscious about race because it isn't a "black" sport in Europoe.

But I could be way off - I'm really just theorizing here.

 

What if Magic had said there should be more black coaches in the NBA? I know it's not the same but...

There was something on OTL about this when Chocolate Thunder gave that interview on HBO. One of the OTL panelists, a former black player whose name escapes my memory, made this great comment. When the question was posed, "Are white fans racist if they want to see more white basketball players?" he responded that fans want to see themselves reflected in their sports leagues. That's exactly how I feel. If you're watching a boxing match between a white fighter and a black fighter, assuming they're both American, who do you root for? Racism isn't loving your race, it's hating another. Larry Legend calls 'em like he sees 'em, tells it like it is, keeps it real, and calls a spade a... nevermind.

 

And David Stern has his head stuck in the sand on the issue saying Bird is wrong in everything that he said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1822760

 

NBA

Negro Ball Association

 

READ THIS PEOPLE AND YOU WILL BE ENLIGHTENED
Before you read it this isnt a racial post its just realistic answer to this question!!!

I must say that Larry was right,black people are naturally more talented for basketball than whites.
but there is a reason why black americans outclass so much white americans and dominate in basketball in USA.That is becouse most of white americans have british herritage,and brittish are naturally the shortest and the weakest white people and most untalented for sports,they are only good in soccer and black afroamericans are the strongest black people(from nigeria,camerun)!!!
So its like you put the strongest europeans russians or ex yugoslavians with the weakest africans like kenyans,i wonder who would dominate in sports then??
I think if white americans had fromer SSSR or ex Yugoslavian herritage i think this dominance of black people in NBA wouldnt be so big.I think in american football there would not even be black americans couse theese eastern europeans dominate to all in strenght.

 

Thanks for brining up a two year-old thread for this bit of genius.