Why are there so many African-American in NBA? -JAKE

Why are there so many African-American in NBA?

 

                                                                                          -JAKE-

 

 

 

McAlarney, who played at Notre Dame, was a good scorer in college. However, his NBA dream did not go according to his plan. In the nine minute, 35-second report on ESPN's "Outside The Lines" that was aired on Dec. 6, McAlarney was in the gym working hard. He thought his workouts with NBA teams would result in being one of the 60 players selected in 2009. But he could not make in to one of the 60 players of the draft in 2009. Do you want to know what turned teams off in avoiding McAlarney? It was because of his slow reaction on defense. It is probably true that some white players do not have that explosiveness to defend against African American players in NBA.

 

Former Los Angeles Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy thought McAlarney was too slow to defend in the NBA. Another thing that draft did not go against McAlarney is because of his height. He is too short. It is impossible for six-foot, slow, white, America-born to compete against NBA players who keep up with a 6-foot-5 athletic NBA African American point guard. [1]

 

[2]

Whenever I watch NBA game, what I noticed from NBA is that eight out of ten NBA players are African American. They are namely Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and etc. looking at these NBA star players, two big questions always come to mind when: Why are the majority of the NBA players African American? Is there racism in NBA?

 

 

 

[3]

          Most of the best white men players in the NBA of the last 30 years that I could remember were Jerry west and Larry Bird. The reason why I could remember these only two guys is that these guys are only white men that could compete against African American in NBA. Their characteristic were 1) they can shoot the lights out and 2) they can keep up with their African American opponents either by being just as fast or by being couple inches taller than that position.

 

Some researchers found that the black athletes actually have been proven to have more “fast twitch” fibers, which allow for more speed and athletic movement. This may be the cause of black people dominate white American in the NBA league. [4]

 

However, through researching more about this problem, I could find that these problems are not only because of outstanding natural ability of what African American have but it was also circumstance that makes African American players outstanding. Professional sports is one of the ways that African American out of the ghetto. They like to pretend that "everything's equal now" but that is not real life. Millions of black kids practice and practice and do nothing but dream about a basketball career. Sports as a means to rise above your station in life are mostly an avenue used by the poor. Most white Americans have access to a wider range of career opportunities than do some minorities. This means that for them, the unlikely prospect of becoming an athlete while a dream is not as forcefully sought after as it is by others. For example, If you can close million dollars sales deals, you are not likely going to rain for endless hours to improve your three-point shot. [5]

But the one thing that we have to know about is that basketball should not go with biological difference between races. Mike Miller who graduated high school with straight "A's" last year, he is six foot seven and he was a basketball star in high school, and was approached by professional scouts. He is white. His parents have a successful business. He is in college now, studying to be a doctor. If he was black or poor, I am really sure that he would be in the NBA. But his circumstances gave him a different option to study for the doctor.

 

How often do you hear about Jewish or Italian boxers in the U.S. these days? Not that often. But not that many years ago there were many, it was a way out of the ghetto for them. But as racist stereotypes and barriers in society come down, other ways open up. And given a choice, most people would much rather be professionals, not professional gladiators. It is just that most have no choice. They know from an early age - if they do not become a sports or a music star, they are going to be flipping burgers or hanging out on the street corner selling drugs. It is all about the matter of opportunities. "Race" is not really a biological category but it is a social and political category.

 

 

Blake Griffin Best Dunk Ever On Kendrick Perkins Jan 30 2012

[6]

 

This is the proof that can refute against the researchers who said that African American have more physically advantages than white American. Many people have a kind of stereotypes that White men cannot dunk and cannot compete against African American. However Through watching this video which is about Blake Griffin who was the dunk champion in NBA, It will totally get rid of those stereotypes.

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

 

[1] Espn, OTL Promo: Kyle McAlarney. Outside the lines. Retrieved from: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4706767

 

[2] ] Graph from ‘Where has all the white NBA players gone’

Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYraid2vqI8

 

 

[3] Where has all the white NBA players gone

Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYraid2vqI8

 

 

[4] John Entine. The Story Behind the Amazing Success of Black Athletes. Run Down. Retrieved from:

http://run-down.com/guests/je_black_athletes_p2.php

 

[5] Earl Ofari. Sports Still No Ticket Out Of The Ghetto. AlterNet. (Jan.2003)

Retrieved from: http://www.alternet.org/story/14869/sports_still_no_ticket_out_of_the_ghetto

 

[6] Blake Griffin Best Dunk Ever On Kendrick Perkins Jan 30 2012

Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_pAoVw5Nrc