I wonder if it's something in the make-up of African Americans that just as a whole better suits them as athletes to play the game (don't bash---it's thought---no sterotyping here---theres something in the make up of African Americans that makes them more susceptible to sickle cell anemia, diabetes, and high blood pressure too) Or if it's cultural---growing up I was expected to know how to ball (as well as dance). A lot of the heros of the pre-teens are ballers, and the ballers carry the fashionable clothes of the day which doubly makes more of their followers want to be like them---thus increasing the pool of players. I don't know. Any thoughts?
I think your fashionable clothes angle is a fallacy. The clothes are fashionable because the famous people are wearing them, not the other way around. As for the original question, I think there were studies that showed that certain areas of Africa produced the fastest sprinters, and other areas the best marathon runners. I would certainly think that physiology plays a part. Whatever anyone wants us to believe, we are not all the same.
I think urban society in general tends to embrace basketball moreso than any other crosssection of society as a whole. Unfortunately, in this country, African-Americans have found themselves as the majority of residents in highly disregarded urban centers of major cities. Alas, this is a different thread entirely. At the same time, many in these urban areas who see no future in a scholarly persuit (often incorrectly) will seek to find athletic means of self advancement. Because Basketball requires only a ball and a court to play (the court frequently found in a public park) it is very inexpensive to play the sport (this is also why you do not see as large a number of athletes from poor communities playing Ice Hockey). Therefore, persons from these low income areas will frequently excel in this venture as they invest great amounts of time in the activity. My theory is that if basketball were embraced with as much of a fervor in the suburbs as it is in the urban parts of major cities, there would be greater diversity. Personally, I think this isn't much of a worry - the worry ultimately is why poor urban youth find basketball to be their "ticket" out of poverty (again, another thread for another time).
Why do African Americans dominate Basketball but don't play hockey? why do Central Americans excel at baseball but don't Play Football? Why until 1999 the majority of Black QB's were converted to WR or CB? Why Can't White People play HB?
Some Afro-Americans play hockey, but it is typically not a sport played by urban youths due to the cost, availability of a rink, etc. See tennis or golf. I think central americans would disagree with this statement but I see what you mean. There can only be one quarterback in the game at a time, and the best black quarterbacks did play. See Warren Moon and Randal Cunningham. Mike Alstott. I know he went to the Pro Bowl as a fullback, but he played the majority of the year as a halfback/tailback.
Sports is definitely not the most important thing in the world, so this argument could take many different tangents, but I sometimes think of all the great hockey, tennis, and golf stars that "never were" because these sports are not available/too expensive/not cool for urban environments/foreign countries. I wonder how many Tiger Woods are in the rough in Venezuela or how many Wayne Gretzky's there are in Queens. We'll never know. (The same argument could be used for doctors, lawyers, teachers, and other societal positives.)
GB, I definitely think it is culture more than ingrained natural ability. Our society tells poor black kids in the ghetto that their way out is through basketball or football - not education or other avenues. Basketball is easy for poor people to play - no real equipment to buy, etc...same reason so many Eastern European kids play as well - and are coming into the NBA and generally doing well. I certainly know that, growing up in my environment, basketball was very much a status symbol. If you could play you were treated differently - by everyone. Being white, it was a little hard for me at first because I was not initially accepted. Eventually, though, I was allowed to play with the "big boys" and gained some good friendships through that (I would always get the name of whatever white NBA guy was either doing well or on a good team, but was also often told that "I don't play white" dunking always got reactions, lol). Anyway, then my knees gave out and - poof - I could no longer keep up and had to play with the peripheral guys. Now I just plain suck - can't jump anymore, shot is gone since I can't play anymore, and I can't cut (or if I do I crumble to the ground) like before. So, yeah, just cultural - nothing else.
