An all black basketball league? Would it benefit black players and owners?

American Thinker ^ | 04/29/2014 | Richard Baehr

[SeekAndFind]

Larry Johnson was a junior college transfer who became the top star of the 1989-1991 Running Rebels of UNLV, leading them to two final four appearances and one championship. He later had a successful ten year NBA career with the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks.  In 1993, Johnson signed what was at the time the most lucrative NBA contract in history -- $84 million over 12 years. Nevertheless Johnson apparently believes that  NBA players, despite their compensation levels,  are still slaves to their white masters, and wants a new all black league.  The idea for an all black league was Johnson’s initial angry reaction to the story that sports networks and sportswriters are now obsessing over, the racist comments of 80 year old Los Angeles Clippers’ team owner Donald Sterling.

What would the diversity counselors say about Johnson’s approach?  African Americans make up about 13% of the US population, but 76% of NBA players, a percentage that has hardly fluctuated in recent years, even with the surge in European players joining the league.  African American make up 68% of NFL players, and 9% of major league baseball players, a percentage that has been dropping for many years as Hispanic and Asian players have come into the league, and young blacks show less interest in the sport.  A surprisingly large number of NHL players are black, almost 5%, 3/4 of whom are Canadian.  

[Busko]

Good, do it. Le tthem have their own league and let them get their own all black sponsers. Let them have all their own black networks to cover their games. Let them file for bankruptcy with in two years.

[muir_redwoods]

Great idea. Lets start a lingerie basketball league as well. Nobody watches the WNBA but with careful attention to recruiting and uniform design, I can guarantee a significant viewership.

[jttpwalsh]

25+ years ago, I was a vociferous consumer of the NBA. One bad weather day, I actually watched three entire games. Nowadays, I will glance at a game, if I happen to be somewhere, and it is on TV at that location, but that’s about it. I’m sure this proposal will bring back all of the ‘lost’ fans, like myself/s.

[11th Commandment]

I don’t support racist efforts like this. Period.

Maybe Larry can invest some of his millions and start the league... or did he mean for someone else to start the all black league? If there was money in an all black league, it would have happened by now... but I doubt, based on your statement, there is much of a market for an inclusive race league in any sport.