The White Boy Report

APRIL 10 - 2008

Welcome to the White-Boy Report!

The White-Boy Report is going to be a recurring feature that keeps an eye on the progress of the American-born white basketball player. They are a dying breed, becoming less and less relevant in the NBA.

The reason why is anyone’s guess - and will remain that way because it is an issue too layered, potentially controversial, and almost impossible to tackle without sounding racist, that no major sports provider will touch it - and neither will I…at least not right now.

The reason for this feature is simple. I love basketball, and one of the things I love most about it is that it is as diverse as any sport - with players from about 70 different countries and Americans with backgrounds from all across the country - all bringing unique styles and culture to the game.

Well, right now, the part of the NBA puzzle that represents my demographic is sucking it up pretty badly. To the point that the best American-born white player ever, Larry Bird, has gone so far as to say “As far as playing, I didn’t care who guarded me -red, yellow, black. I just didn’t want a white guy guarding me, because it’s disrespect to my game.” Thanks Larry, Wally Szczerbiak and I appreciate it.

I am confidant that somewhere, there is someone who can bring some respect back to us, lead his team to a championship, win an MVP (Steve Nash is Canadian, folks) and put an end to the running punch-line that is the American-born white basketball player.

SO - this feature will follow, obviously, the players that are already in the NBA, but also, look over the horizon at the players in the college game, and the players being recruited out of high school. We will look at the success stories (Chris Kaman, I guess?), embarrassing failures (Nice work, Adam Morrison) and the up-and-comers (turn that fat into muscle, Kevin Love!).

And as a final note, to be perfectly clear, this is not about “taking the back the game” or anything horrendously, or even slightly, racist. It’s about giving young white boys hope that they can one day make the NBA, and not have to look like Ashton Kutcher, or play in Utah, to get attention.

NOTE: Since this is going to be a recurring feature, I would like to make a banner. Any suggestions as to who should be on it?

Coming Up in the White-Boy Report

- State of the White-Boy: From Jerry West to Mike Dunleavy Jr. The statistical decline currently in it’s 4th decade

- NBA Draft Previews: Kevin Love, Chase Budinger, Joe Alexander, Tyler Hansborough - what’s the upside? - and - is there anything TV Analysts like to do more than argue how white-boy’s games translate to the pros, without actually pointing out the guy is white?

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