Is there a racist element in some people's predictions that Ming will be a bust?

I think there is just a twinge of racism but
mainly its the fear of the potential and quantity, of non American, better educated & fundamentally sound players, coming to the NBA. This means the Teams selection requirements have gone up. So there wont be quite as many of us finding jobs in the NBA!

 

Well, so far with everyone's view on Ming, they haven't given him a chance at all. They feel that he isn't going to adapt in the NBA and is going to get pushed around.

I feel they're just jealous because we landed the #1 pick and that we are going to run BUCKWILD on the NBA!

 

Yes. I even find myself questioning Yao at times because he is not a 7 foot black man. It's wrong but it happens.

Let’s face it, athletic black men have dominated basketball for the last 30 years. Sure there have been guys named Walton, Bird, McHale, Dirk, Peja but for every high profile light skinned player that makes it, there are a dozen high profile light skinned players that flop. Because of all the Shawn Bradleys of the world I think people are naturally more skeptical of none black high profile players.

The Mavs were blasted by the media and the fans when they drafted Dirk because they thought he was another big white stiff even though no one had seen him play. Now Dirk is one of the premier players in the league out playing players like Kevin Garnett in the play off’s.

If you are white and you go to a park to play ball and there is a black man about your same size and you are both unknown who do you think will get picked first? If you said the white guy then you are either not from this country or you are lying. Period.

Call it racism if you want but if UCLA produces 10 NBA all star caliber players every decade and Baylor produces only 1 then what group of players are you going to be a little more skeptical of? Baylor of course. Is that also a form discrimination? Maybe.

I think the fact is that while most of us (the fans) still tend to pre judge some players based on the color of the skin or where they were born, most NBA teams have already figured out that you have to be open minded when judging talent or you will pass over guys like Dirk Nowitzki for players like Robert Traylor.

 

It's fear.

The recent Euro explosion forced American players to recognize that foreigners could play. But they were all similar so they could be type caste.

A foreign player is supposedly: fundamentally sound, somewhat unathletic in comparison, poor defensively, and a jump shooter.

Ming is a big shotblocker. That's something normally reserved for Americans. And he's supposed to have a post game, unlike Rik Smits.

It's a stupid stereotype. Sabonis certainly wasn't poor defensively. But nevertheless, it's there.

If players have to recognize that foreigners can be just as athletic... then it means they have to improve fundamentally to compete in the future. And I don't think they want to do that.

So, they deny what very well might be reality.

 

can we not have another thread about racism?

 

Stereotypes. Gee, No kidding.

 

I don't think that people are racist towards Ming. I just think that people like to see other people that are expected to shine to fail, well atleast in sports. (my 900th post!)

 

How many years has it been for a NO.1 pick other than Yao as a non-black athlete? Is there ever a NO.1 pick as a foreign player before Yao?

Yao's case has these two factors combined.

Most scouts and coaches that praise Yao are whites, the players bad mouthing Yao are all black players.

A player's assessment to another should be taken into account when:

1. He played with or against him. Players are not scouts, they don't watch game tapes hour after hour and tracks a player for years to know him. On the other hand, players know if someone has game on the court face to face.

2. There's no conflict of interest.

Among black players, the ones played against Yao says nice things about him, such as Antonio McDyess. The ones who didn't talk smack and down play Yao, see Shaq, Q-Richardson and Robert Horry etc.

Guys like Richardson are not in a position to talk smack and their words based on just a shootout are not accountable.

Most of the derogative words directed against Yao is out of fear for the emergence of non-black athletes, which is worse when they come from all over the globe. More competition, more challenges, less job security, hence the vain verbal resistance from local black players against Yao, who is a symbol of basketball globalization.

 

I don't know if it's racism or just ignorance. It's almost as if people talk about Yao as if he were some sort of alien.

If he were black OR white and from America I doubt there would be all of this negativity from current NBA players.

I can't remember the last time NBA players came down on a top draft pick like they do Yao. Maybe it's because they are asked about him because he's such an unknown in the eyes of so many.

I happen to think it's great many players don't think he'll pan out. Hopefully they'll play that way against him.

os

 

i don't think it has so much to do with racism so much...I feel it has more to do with with human nature...people fear the unknown, and in the NBA world Ming is a big 7'5" unknown. Ultimately answer won't become known until after the first couple of games are played with Ming in a rockets jersey for the whole world to see.

 

Of course there is! Let's not be blind about it! Same as when , in the NFL, people doubt "white CBs" being able to play the position(NOT becuz of ability but becuz of skin color). Lots of minorities seem to think that they can't be prejudice, etc. just becuz they're minorities BUT they are lying to themselves. I should know cuz I'm a "minority" myself.....

 

Yes. People haven't seen a good asian player before, so the don't think Ming will be a good player. Similar to Ichiro.

 

It's a good ol' boys system.

 

I hate the LA Clippers and the stupid hands bang to the head ?????

 

I think its more envy and unknown than anything. I'm a african-american and i think Ming will be pretty good. I'm like most people who follows basketball that the elements of fundementals are so far gone that its good the foreigners are bringing it back. When looking at the missing fundementals, you have to look no further than the race that dominates the sport, african-american. I see kids play all the time and i see guys who can jump out the gym but can't do a left hand layup. I think its bigger than that, but the players who are affected most are the white ball players.

Over the period of a few yrs, gm's would take a Laetner,Ferry and these so called skilled players,but that has changed now and are making the fundemental white players almost obselete. Gm's feel they can get the same skilled player who may be more atheletic overseas. For the most part, its the truth. Dunleavy may turn out to be a good player, but does he have the upside of Nickoloz, Ming or even Nachbar far as that go? The reason he doesn't is because reletively speaking, he's not nearly the athelete those guys are. Those same players have the same skills, but are hungry and atheletic, that makes the difference. The real good "white " players playing today are mostly european.

When Q spoke after seeing Ming workout, he was speaking in terms of seeing a big guy not back up and rip the screws out of the rim. Basically Q was speaking from the point of view from his dunking,running ,limited skill generation that is today. Look at one of the most coveted players in the league, Darius Miles, and he can't even shoot the ball from past 6-8 ft. If the nba outlawed dunking like they did with Kareem, how could some of these players even score? Its not really racism and I'm not really classifying all or most african americans, but for the most part, we are very skeptical people. Its kinda like I'll beleive it when i see it type of attitude. Whether or not its right or wrong, i can't say, I'm just saying thats the way it is for the most part.

 

Maybe a lot of these guys have the same problem with Ming that I do. Many people are promising the stars from a guy that very few have seen play. There has never been what one would call an impact player from China and the basketball played there is vastly inferior to the ball played here and in europe, so his numbers mean very little to most people/players. So yeah, his being chinese does play a role. The good thing is that someone has to change the stereotype and hopefully Ming will.

 

Racism or Not, I hope Ming comes out and makes everyone shut the $#@% up (everyone talking $hit).

 

I don't think it's racism. I'd hope that most people involved in the NBA would realized that racism hasn't done the game good. The game has progressed as we have as individuals. However, I think many people think of players from the US and not making it through our college ranks makes a player less worthy.

 

From what I've seen, I think it is racism. I mean...choosing an asian guy out of a sport that is dominated by African-Americans seems absurd to many. How many good asian players have we heard of before? none. Of course, many people are gonna think Ming is gonna flop. Also, whens the last time a non-african american got picked #1? I can't remember. I've read some negative reviews about yao and there is always some subtle racism involved. I am pretty sure that racism won't end for Yao on or off the court. I hope Yao can prove them wrong and show that no matter what creed or race you are, you will get your stuff swatted