Essay on Racism in the NBA

Basketball is one of the most popular which is beloved sports that is played today. Michael Jordan, who played for the Washington Wizards and the Chicago Bulls once said, “Just play, have fun, and enjoy the game” (BrainyQuote 2016). Whether playing with friends for fun or by professionals for entertainment or simply watching from home, basketball is very enjoyed all over the world. Beginning with a unique history, basketball has evolved over time from a simple idea into a professional career choice for those with the unique skill set.

For starters, Mandelbaum is very long winded his chapters go on forever. There are certain ideas that he can convey in 5 pages but instead, he chooses to do so in 15 pages. His writing style is so plain that it makes following the chapters that much harder. The information that Mandelbaum presents about in relation to the sports of baseball, football and basketball are good I just wish his chapters were shorter. Information can get lost quickly if there are 80 pages of information to read about one sport. Aside from that, I learned a lot from his chapter about basketball. In chronological order, Mandelbaum writes how the game of basketball shifted from a sport that was primarily white to primarily African American. The first African American player to enter the NBA was in 1950. By the 1980s four out of every five starting players in the league were black. Mandelbaum makes the argument that African Americans were needed in the league or else the game would not have been as developed as it is now. “The game as it developed would have been far poorer in every way without them” (Mandelbaum,248). The same time that the professional game was developing so too was the street game. In chapter 4 I learned about the “winner-take-all” market. According to investopedia.com, this is a concept in which the best performers are able to capture a very large share of the rewards, and the remaining competitors are left with very little.” The chances of most African American making it to the NBA is very slim, according to the book chances are 135,800 to

We do have memories to recall from our past – good and bad. From these memories brings a part of who we are in a diverse nation and a lesson that changes our lives forever. This is evident to Regelio Gomez' article entitled “Foul Shots”, that shares his memorable experience in playing basketball during his teenage years as both being his ghost and his teacher for almost 2 decades. His narration is a consequence of anyone who describes winning in the name of game or losing in the name of race.

Many people believe Michael Jordan did his part of fighting racial battles for equality just like the great Civil Rights activist era.

In recent history it has been evident that some of the most popularize sports in America have been dominated and overran by African American and other minority athletes. In turn when the coaching and management positions in sports are analyzed and broken down, the number of minority coaches and managers in sport are almost non-existent and have been since those sports organization became established.

Most African American that want to make it to the National Football League (NFL) or the National basketball League (NBA), do not realize there is a slim chance to none of actually going into a professional sport. Gates writes “African American youngster has about as much of becoming a professional athlete as he or she does of winning the lottery” (1). Not many African American youngsters know that there are “12 times more black lawyers than black athletes” or there are only 1200 blacks who play in a professional sport (1). There are 12 times more black professionals that are in the communities accommodating to the needs of those who need the assistance with either legal or health issues. The youth can achieve greatness in today’s society by getting a degree and forming a foundation to make enough to be financially stable.

In the collegiate world of sports, basketball has become an increasingly recognized sport among African Americans, predominantly males. The hope of any young basketball player is that one day a scout will come and recruit them into stardom The question that presents itself as a problem to the lucky few who are chosen to go professional, is whether or not an education is more important than a million dollar shoe deal, “The NCAA's (1998) annual six-year study reported that only 33% of Black male basketball players graduated, (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1999). Individually, basketball reported the lowest graduation rate in all divisions,” (Robinson, 2004:1). Basketball players have become so idolized in the eyes of young

The topic of race in sport, particularly African Americans in sport, has long been a controversial yet, widely discussed matter. Human and social issues are never easy subjects to discuss or debate, and racial differences tend to provoke very strong reactions. To begin, we will explore those whom claim that black athletes excel in sports as a result of their biological make up. Of all players in the NBA, more than 75% of them are black; of all players in the WNBA, more than 70% of them are black; of all players in the NFL, more than 65% of them are black (Hoenig, 2014). Evidently, black athletes make up a vast majority of these sports in the United States. Athletes must be of elite caliber to have the ability to play at this level, so this

The history of sports goes back since ancient times. It has been a useful way for people to explore nature and their environment. Sports include different activities and games such as football, soccer, basketball, and etc. to express their skills and talents. Also, sports are a way to relax and have fun; but are sports all our African Americans rely on? The dream to become future sports stars. The reason why Gates begins his essay with an anecdote is to show and compare how many african-american athletes were at work today and how little the chances of African-Americans becoming athletes are compared to being a lawyer, dentist, or even a doctor. African-Americans assume that they are born athletes and it’s because the school system doesn’t

“I grew up during the 1950s in Brooklyn, New York. That was 70 years ago. In my neighborhood, almost everyone was Jewish or Italian. Our parents spoke little or no English. Sports were very important for boys like me. Following sports made us feel more American.” This explains that many African Americans, Jewish, and Italians want to play pro sports more than anyone else and if they worked hard enough, nothing could stop them.

But back to smaller concepts, marketing in the 1960’s the NBA was not that known due to its small scope. It was beginning to be televised and so it started to reach more people through that medium. Then we start to see how ideas are used to market the league better. There is an entertainment value aspect to it; we started to see the players on cereal boxes as a form of advertisement. In the 1970’s we start to see more competitive balance then in the

A Summary of William Raspberry’s “The Handicap of Definition” Paris Owens Essay2: Second Summary En112c.002 Dr. Butler March 2, 2000 A Summary of William Raspberry’s “The Handicap of Definition” In “The Handicap of Definition” William Raspberry emphasizes the stereotype of what it means to be Black. Raspberry uses many beliefs that has taken a toll on African Americans on the definition of being Black. Raspberry uses many comparisons to compare blacks to whites and other ethnics. He begins off by using basketball as an example. Raspberry quotes, “If a basketball fan says that Boston Celtics’ Larry Bird plays black the fan intends it and Bird probably accepts it as a compliment”(543). He also

I would like to discuss the issue of race and ethnicity in sports. We will also explore the bigger questions. How much does race and ethnicity matter in the sports world? Are certain races dominant in certain sports? Is there a difference in how we treat players based on race and ethnicity? Does it matter? I would like to answer some of these questions and gain a better understanding of how much of a part they play.

During the 80’s, the period of which these individuals played, the NBA desperately needed a new spark, and the NBA got just what it needed. Larry Bird’s Celtics during the 1979-80 season made a dramatic improvement “from a 29-53 record the year before to 61-21”(Magic Johnson and). While Bird is making an extraordinary turnaround for his Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson, during his rookie season, won a NBA championship for the Los Angeles Lakers. This was the Los Angeles Lakers seventh NBA championship victory. Their success helped the NBA, but their identities off the court supersedes the game of basketball. The years previous to the Magic-Bird rivalry were ever changing. The NBA changed from a fundamental, half-court game with all-white players, to a quick pace, athletically acrobatic game with mainly black players. Few old-school former white people, such as Jerry West and Pete Maravich, could participate and compete in this new form of basketball. This different style of basketball significantly swayed many viewers, white fans, from attending the NBA games. White fans felt that the game was very egocentric and didn’t involve all the players. Also, the white fans didn’t

The game of basketball is recognizable high school or the NBA. The sport is very popular and is played worldwide. Everyone may also know the sport from some names of basketball stars. Maybe the names Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Dr. J, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, or Carmelo Anthony ring a bell. They are all outstanding players of the game and have a significant understanding of how the game is played. Basketball has changed alot overtime and has become one of Americas most played sports.