Racism+in+the+NBA?

=**__Is The NBA Racist to Black Players?__**=

Recently, there has been much discussion on the topic of racism by the NBA toward its black players. The controversy started in April of 2005, after Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers claimed NBA Commissioner David Stern's raising of the league's age limit from 18 to 20 was racist. "In the last two or three years, the rookie of the year has been a high school player. There were seven high school players in the All-Star Game, so why we even talking an age limit?" O'Neal stated. He also added that, "As a black guy, you kinda of think [race] is the reason why it's coming up. You don't hear about it in baseball or hockey. To say you have to be 20, 21 to get in the league, it's unconstitutional. If I can go to the U.S. Army and fight the war at 18 why can't you play basketball for 48 minutes?" (ESPN.Com)

While these claims made headlines, they did not hold much credibility. However, the NBA's new dress code policy not only brought back claims of racism, but it also demonstrated that O'Neal may not have been wrong in his claims. The policy requires all players to come to and from games wearing what is at least classified as "Business Casual Attire", including those who only sit on the bench and do not suit up. Also, it is strictly forbidden at any time while with a team or on league business to wear visible jewellry over one's clothes, sport headgear of any kinda, wear sunglasses indoors, or wear sports apparel such as replica jerseys (NBA.Com). Therein lies the problem.

It seems evident that this new policy specifically targets black players, many of whom embrace the urban, hip hop culture. It was a common sight to see players sporting casual, baggy street clothes, while flaunting jewellry, such as Allen Iverson, below.



O'Neal's teammate Stephen Jackson said he thinks the league is afraid of being seen as "too hip hop" (Lorenz and Murray). It is true, though, that the NBA is hoping to rehabilitate its image among its majority of white fans who feel uncomfortable with players' embracing street fashion and style (Lorenz and Murray). After the television ratings for the 2005 NBA Finals decreased 29%, corporate sponsors expressed their discontent with the "gangsta" image of many players in the league (Lorenz and Murray). L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson noted that, "I think we've noticed a number of situations in the playoffs, when the full attention is on the NBA, when [Black men portrayed as criminals and gang members] reaches its pinnacle. And you'll have a player step to the podium wearing a do-rag and sunglasses and holding a child on his lap and it sends out an image, I don't know, of prison garb or thuggery or smells of defiance in a way." (Lorenz and Murray)



The NBA wants to showcase more players who conform to the cultural and corporate standards and white, middle America. Historically, this is the type of black athlete that has been viewed favourably by whites, such as Jackie Robinson, who broke the colour-barrier in Major League Baseball (Lorenz and Murray). And while the ban on casual attire also eliminates the dress-down approach of a white player such as Steve Nash, there is no doubt that the new policy is mostly targeted at black players. At the 2005 All-Star game, country singers were brought in to perform during the half time show, a far cry from the usual blend of R&B, hip hop and dance music usually featured at games (Araton, 12). This just demonstrates the NBA's will to "water-down" its current product, which commissioner Stern once referred to as "too black and too drug infested" (Araton, 12).




 * Richard Hamilton of the Detroit Pistons**




 * LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers before a game**

Sports writer Harvey Araton believes that the so-called racist attitudes affecting the NBA today are rooted in the way the black athletes interact with "white America". In his book //Crashing the Borders//, Araton notes that images of white men sitting and drinking at arenas while watching black men running and being competitive evokes images of slavery from as early as the Roman Empire (Araton, 26-27). When players such as Shaquille O'Neal, Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning became stars in the 1990s, they ushered in a new era of athlete, one where being angry, boisterous and aggressive was considered to be stylish (Araton, 80-81). From then on, black ball players smiled less, and often looked more "edgy" on the court, as well as in magazine pictures. This led to many complaints from whites about these "unsavoury" images (Araton, 81).




 * Larry Johnson**




 * Alonzo Mourning**

Many view the NBA's recent changes in policy as racist, or even as a way to cater to their white, middle-class audience. Others believe that the league has added a much-needed element of professionalism. Class-act superstars such as LeBron James and Kevin Garnett, who had previously embraced urban culture, have even been subject to these new changes. It will be interesting to note what affect these changes will have on the NBA and everybody involved with it, as well as what future changes these ones will foster.




 * Shaquille O'Neal: Looking Classy**


 * Rasheed Wallace: Not Too Thrilled**


 * Stephon Marbury: No Longer an NBA Poster Boy**

__**Bibliography**__

Araton, Harvey. //Crashing the Borders: How Basketball Won the World and Lost Its Soul at Home//. New York: Free Press, 2005.

Lorenz, Stacy and Murray, Lorenz. __NBA Dress Code Smacks of Racism__. //Express News//. 2 December 2005. http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=7158

"NBA Player Dress Code." __NBA.Com__. 1 Dec. 2006 .

"Pacers' O'Neal: Racism Behind Age-Limit Proposal." __ESPN.Com__. Apr. 2005. 1 Dec. 2006 .


 * __Image Sources__**

__Allen Iverson__. 2 Dec. 2006 .

__Alonzo Mourning__. 29 Dec. 2006 

__Larry Johnson__. 1 Dec. 2006 

__Lebron James__. 2 Dec. 2006 

__Rasheed Wallace__. 1 Dec. 2006 

__Richard Hamilton.__ 2 Dec. 2006 

__Shaquille O'Neal__. 1 Dec. 2006 

__Stephen Jackson__. 30 Nov. 2006 

__Stephon Marbury__. 30 Nov. 2006 

=LOG OF WORK DONE BY JOVAN BRKIC=

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