David Kahn has long been a favorite punching bag among NBA fans for his seeming incompetence when it comes to building a competitor. Now, it seems the Timberwolves owner is under attack from members of Minnesota’s civil rights community. Again, the complaints arise from how the roster has been built, but this time they center on the fact that there’s a certain monochromatic theme among Timberwolves players. Of the 15 players on the roster, only five are black.
Local civil rights advocate Ron Edwards and Tyrone Terrell, chairman of St. Paul’s African-American leadership council, have both weighed in.
“I think, personally, that it was calculated. Is this an attempt to get fans back in the stands? Minnesota, after all, is a pretty white state.”
Terrell had the following to say:
“How did we get a roster that resembles the 1955 Lakers? I think everything is a strategy. Nothing happens by happenstance.”
Is there any merit to the claims that Kahn has built a roster based on race rather than ability? It's not likely and even if it were, it’s a difficult claim to prove. Five African-American players from last year's team were either traded or not re-signed this offseason, but aside from Michael Beasley, none made any significant contribution to the the 2011-12 team. Kahn has denied the claims as 'patently false' and pointed out that the team's roster consists of players from Spain, Puerto Rico, Russia and Montenegro. The T-wolves also made offer sheets to Nicolas Batum and Jordan Hill, both of whom are black, over the summer. Both players, however, re-signed with their original teams. Yes, Kevin Love is white. But he’s also an elite basketball player and quite possibly the best power forward in the NBA.
Original Story:
|
October 29, 2012
I live in Mpls. This "story" was in our paper last Sunday. Ludicrous.
I'm also a Spurs fanatic. We have 9 international players on our roster. I'm not complaining.
No one batted an eye when three dominant African-American players move to one team (Heat last off season) and then recruit a player (Ray Allen) from another club this off season.
What is the racial make up of the top teams in the NBA?
I'm also white...do you think Edwards and Terrell would like to have an equal racial representation rule per team in the NBA?
Interesting how so many people are offended by the lightness of the Wolves' roster. When rosters of basketball teams are 90% Black no one cares. When they are 30% Black, everyone is concerned. When baseball rosters were 50% Black, no one cared and now that the percentage is low, Black leaders across America are apoplectic and urging baseball to invest in its Black infrastructure to recruit more Blacks to baseball.
Blacks dominate football and basketball. No one in the White community complains and asks for proportionate representation on the fields. Whites accept that the numbers reflect athletic meritocracy and root for winners and ignore losers. Others should do the same.
Kahn is not a racist, he's simply a bumbling GM who has a roster of many Whites. So what?