why is so much of the nba black?

Answer 1

Blacks have that natural instinct to play ball, not to menchin there ability to jump like 15ft. in the air.

Answer 2

Because there's a standard held in today's culture that certain sports should be dominated by a certain race. The NBA is mostly African-American because it is acceptable among society for an African-American to play basketball for a profession. It's also the same standard for why there aren't many African-American NHL players. Socially, it's more acceptable for a Caucasian person to play hockey. No one can say someone is more athletic if they play basketball instead of hockey because both demand a significant amount of athletic ability. Both demand speed, agility, and endurance. People create stigmas for the role a certain kind of athlete plays.

I'm not saying that people always adhere to these stigmas (nor do I agree that they're acceptable, because anyone should be able to play anything dependent upon their athletic ability not their sex, race, or nationality). Unfortunately it's just the way society is structured.

Answer 3

Basketball is not a "black" game...it's a city game.

Historically, whoever was the predominant "group" living in the inner cities, would most typcially be the dominant group of players in basketball.

In the 1920s and 30s, the inner cities of the Northeast were predominately Jewish, and Jewish players dominated basketball at that time. The period of time during which Jewish people moved out of the inner cities and blacks (from the south) moved into the inner cities, corresponds to the beginning of "blacks" dominating basketball.

Hall of Famer Nat Holman (1896-1995) became a famous player in the 1920s... I saw an interview with him in the late '80s/early 90's in which he said "we used to think that every Jewish kid was born with a basketball in his hands"

In the 80s, I saw interviews with people who lived in Lansing, Michigan during the time Magic Johnson was growing up... they said that they all thought that Magic was born with a basketball in his hands.

Unlike football and baseball, basketball is played in areas which place a premium on space. The inner cities don't have baseball fields or football fields for kids to play on growing up (other than the schools themselves), but there are basketball courts everywhere.

Particularly in the early days of the NBA, the majority of the most dominant players grew up in big cities. Bill Russell grew up in Oakland, Wilt Chamberlain in Philadelphia, Lew Alcindor in New York. As basketball became more popular, more and more great players came out of nowhere, but it's always been true that the majority of the best players have come from the lower end of the economic spectrum.

Very few players with a "privileged" background end up playing in the NBA. You don't see any NBA players whose fathers, for example, make more money than they do. Bill Laimbeer was probably the last such player in the league.

Answer 4

Nascar hasn't a single black driver to my knowledge, it's simply an all white sport and no one really knows why...

Aside from Tiger Woods, how many blacks do you see playing professional golf?

There doesn't seem to be an abundance of blacks in the area of pro fishing either... Or bowling... These sports are dominated by whites and that's just how it's always been.

A similar principle applies with Basketball and the NBA, it's always been a predominantly black sport and likely always will be.

Answer 5

In the USA, basketball and football are the most common sports played in many areas with a high black demographic. These areas develop a high number of quality basketball players and they happen to be black. This is the simplest and most probable answer I can think of.

Answer 6

It has a lot to do with economics. It is just like how soccer is popular worldwide. All you need is a ball and some friends and you can play. A lot of other sports are very cost prohibitive, like baseball or golf.

Answer 7

One word "TALENT" baby. All the other stuff is just BS. If everyone is talented to the same level why were such strong racist oppositions to blacks playing basketball, baseball etc. From Hank Aaron to Reggie Miller. The only thing true is "TALENT".

Answer 8

because so many athletic black youths play it growing up...improve while playing in the school systems to the point of making it a profession...

Answer 9

Sport selection, do what you are good at and enjoy. Same could be asked, why so many whites in the NHL. Culture uprbringing area all are factors.

Answer 10

Pop you should car pool with Tim Hardaway to sensitivity training