European Player Bias

[Magickian]

Okay, so I have seen this brought up many times and I have brought this up personally many times. 

SAS just nearly outright explained that black athletes aren't having the whole white European players team thing...

The comment section is wild, and I have mentioned this before and an underlying racism that occurs within this nation and that issue being translated over into the NBA in it's various forms. 

Obviously I don't think all black NBA players feel this way as it most likely isn't even a majority of them... but I bet there is a portion of them that do have issues with it. 

the clip is right here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLOfgCWJWYo hopefully this discussion can stay reasonable and stay here or maybe it needs to goto Troll or ROTW if it gets out of hand hahaha, which are not my intentions. 

I am trying to have a reasonable and realistic debate here:

So vote on the poll and let's discuss...

Is there a racial issue within the NBA that might make some FAs not want to come play with our two stars?

[IamDougieFresh]

SAS is just biased tbh

Salty about KP asking out of NY. 

Aligned with LeBron/Rich Paul. Doesn't have the foresight realize the LeBron era is over. Sad.

[SleepingHero]

We saw it with the media for almost 12 years with Dirk. He was discredited every which way until 2011 when he whooped quite literally every star in the league. Aldridge, Kobe and the media darling Lakers, KD, Westbrook, Harden, and the cornucopia of media attention the Miami cHeat with Lebron, D-Whistle, and Bosh.

It took a butt whoopin of historical proportions against Lebron of all people for the media to give Dirk his deserved respect. And even then the Mavs were snubbed every year in FA because no one believed Dirk could keep going. 

I think we're already seeing some sort of disrespect against Luka. Heck, they tried to rationalize Trae beating Luka for ROTY late last season! But I mean I'm used to it already and kind of like that the media and NBA sleeps on the Mavs. Wait till they see playoff Luka/KP.

[Kammrath]

Racism is very real in the USA (in fact one could argue that racism as we know was actually cultivated and nurtured in the USA). "Whites" (something invented in America) against "people of color"....and "people of color" against "whites." It cuts both ways in very obvious and in very subtle ways.

So yes, it is unavoidable that the Mavs will face issues (and already DID with Dirk IMO) by having "white" superstars. But at the end of the day the Mavs don't need another top 50 player, they just need the right complementary players while developing Luka and KP.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

We live in a racist society.  Always has been, always will be.  Nothing more to say.

[j0Shi]

Stephen A is an idiot and says stuff for clicks and content. End of story. He and Skip really were the perfect team.

[embellisher]

I believe the majority of NBA players are not racists, just like I believe that the majority of Americans are not racists. But there are enough racists that racism is still a problem. 

There are always going to be a few players who think if you have light skin, and didn't grow up playing hoops on the streets in the inner city and pay your dues in AAU, you're just a soft white boy.

[j0Shi]

Funny that the top EU tier is actually much more physical and intense, both in terms of style of play and atmosphere. The NBA has really become a league full of sissys. The disadvantage foreign players have nowadays is probably much more getting used to live in a different country. US basketball players have the same issue in Europe. They mostly underperform for the first few months.

[fifteenth]

SAS just nearly outright explained that black athletes aren't having the whole white European players team thing...

He's the Skip Bayless of discussions about race.

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The NBA has really become a league full of sissys.

come on now

this isn't true

The rules changes have moved the game away from the Bad Boys days. If Charles Oakley under the basket with a tire iron was still allowed by the rules the players would adjust.

[embellisher]

SAS just nearly outright explained that black athletes aren't having the whole white European players team thing...

He's the Skip Bayless of discussions about race.

Fif, that's a great analogy! He's exactly that.

[iolide]

Yeah, that First take part where they discuss the Mavs and Max is going into why KP is still legit and why the Mavs can be a problem; Stephen A was like basically: "nahhhh i aint having it. These dudes are white euros. The brothas aint gonna allow that". I was like wtf? Since when is it about being white in the NBA now...

[fifteenth]

Skip's and Stephen A's bit is ridiculous. As long as it's just about sports it's stupid but harmless (except that it lowers the listener's IQ). But once Stephen A takes it over into race, it goes beyond stupid to deplorable and infuriating.

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Racism is a problem, of course, and Stephen A is not reporting the problem, he is representative of the problem.

[embellisher]

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Racism is a problem, of course, and Stephen A is not reporting the problem, he is representative of the problem.

Exactly.

[michaeltex]

Skip's and Stephen A's bit is ridiculous. As long as it's just about sports it's stupid but harmless (except that it lowers the listener's IQ). But once Stephen A takes it over into race, it goes beyond stupid to deplorable and infuriating.

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Racism is a problem, of course, and Stephen A is not reporting the problem, he is representative of the problem.

I agree. But there is a perception that the white Euros aren't good enough, although I think that's starting to change. Just look at the starting lineups from several of this year's contenders. Jokic, Nurkic, and Vucevic all come to mind.

In hindsight, changing these perceptions might be Dirk's greatest accomplishment.

I still remember the Tim Thomas "kiss" and Dirk's 50 point response.

[Mavs2019]

I always picture this the other way around with Kellerman saying all African-American players are uneducated ghetto thugs, who have all the athletic ability in the world, but will always lose to the superiority of the European minds.  Their principles of cohesion and European teamwork will always defeat the American Alpha individualism.

[embellisher]

In hindsight, changing these perceptions might be Dirk's greatest accomplishment.

Yep. There had been Euros before, but not one who was a transcendent player. Not one who was in the top 20 NBA players of all time. Personally, he's in my top 10.

Luka looks like he could possibly be the next transcendent Euro. 

[Kidnova]

I think initially there will be players that elect to go play with other teams, not because they're racist, but because the other stars they socialize with and know from high school/college are primarily black.  Eventually some of these guys will get to know Luka/KP and their games, and it won't be a problem for more than a year or two.

[Davevoid]

Being a Euro myself, IDGAF. Luka will shut these people up.

Like others have said, this is basically an American debate. I mean, the whole concept of being "light-skinned" vs "brown-skinned" is totally alien to me, even though I get the historical (?) connotations.

[Mak]

Nope. 

And I don’t think this issue has been significant in the past either.

[Kammrath]

Like others have said, this is basically an American debate. I mean, the whole concept of being "light-skinned" vs "brown-skinned" is totally alien to me, even though I get the historical (?) connotations.

Exactly. America (coupled with social Darwinism) invented racism as we know it.