Racism On and Off The Court

The National Basketball Association began in 1946 where all the players were black. The first white player to play in the NBA came in one year after it was created. Races and ethnicity have changed over the years. In 2013,  the NBA was composed of 76 percent African-American players, 19 percent white players, 4 percent Latino and under 1 percent Asian players and other players. This picture explains the percentages of the races and their positions in the NBA. This league has the highest percentage of black players in any sports league in the North America and Canada. Also in October 2013, 53 percent of the head coaches were white, 43 percent African-American, 3 percent Latino and 0 percent Asian and others. The Majority owners of the league were 98 percent White and 2 percent African-American. The other races were not even in the conversation. But in the League Office Staff 64 percent were white, 18 percent were African-American, 6 percent Latino, 11 percent Asian and under 1 percent other. 

Many people have spread rumors that black people are better at basketball because they can run faster and jump higher. They think that black people have better skills and athleticism. All of this is not true. Sure there are some black players who are very talented and are better than some of the other players. But there is plenty of other players who are better than the black players. For example Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has won the award (record-setting) of the MVP trophy 6 times, the most in the NBA and he isn't black.

                               

Donald Sterling, the old commissioner of the NBA and old owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, was banned for life and fined a sum of 2.5 million dollars due to damaging the league and its teams with his racist comments. He told his girlfriend "Don't bring black people to my games" said Donald Sterling. I find this very wrong that he said that and i am very glad that he got banned and fined. Everyone has there place in this world. Donald Sterling should know that at the end of the day black and white people all are human beings. They deserve the same respect as us, they are the same people just different lifestyles. A lot of coaches, players and even the president Obama had many comments on Mr.Sterling.




In the movie Glory Road every head coach in the NCAA were all white and only wanted to recruit and have white players on their team. Don Haskins who got the job as the new head coach of the 1966 Texas minors decided to build a team based on talent instead of race. They ended up winning the whole tournament and finishing 1st place and being the national champions. The movie made me feel happy because I saw the journey it took for the white players on that team to finally accept the fact that the black players are as good and some, even better than them and that they all have a place on the team. Also, I enjoyed the chemistry they had during the road to the championship and I liked how both races taught each other different things,

                                      






Also in october 2013, 53 percent the head coaches were white, 43 percent African-American, 3 percent Latino and 0 percent Asian and others. The Majority owners of the league were 98 percent White and 2 percent African-American. The other races were not even in the conversation. But in the League Office Staff 64 percent were white, 18 percent were African-American, 6 percent Latino, 11 percent Asian and under 1 percent other.


http://www.tmz.com/2014/04/26/donald-sterling-clippers-owner-black-people-racist-audio-magic-johnson/

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/20/donald-sterling-officially-charged-with-damaging-nba-with-racist-comments

http://www.hothothoops.com/2014/9/9/6127065/racism-and-the-nba

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association#History