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King Kaufman's Sports Daily

Larry Bird is right that a white American superstar would help the NBA, but LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony disagreeing with him is a healthy sign.

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June 10, 2004 | Larry Bird caused a mini-storm this week when ESPN interviewer Jim Gray asked him, "Does the NBA lack enough white superstars in your opinion?" and he said, "I think so."

The question came during a roundtable discussion that also included Bird's longtime rival and friend Magic Johnson and the Bird and Johnson of today, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. The interview was to air Thursday night. ESPN released a partial transcript and showed highlights on Wednesday.

The reaction to Bird's comments -- during which he said basketball is "a black man's game" and called African-Americans the best athletes in the world -- has fallen roughly into four categories:

  • No comment, the most popular reaction among people associated with the league;

  • Bird is dumb. What was he trying to accomplish by saying this? Does he want the league to start holding workshops to help those underprivileged white boys have a chance?

  • Bird is right. The NBA has suffered as some white Americans have come to find it too black -- this is usually described as "lacking fundamentals" or too "street," "urban" or "hip-hop-influenced";

  • Bird is wrong, race isn't an issue at all. People don't care what color you are, they only want to know if you can play. Both James and Anthony said this during the interview, as have most of the few players and coaches who have commented. And in my informal survey of print and online punditry, this is the dominant view.

    I am absolutely, positively sure of very few things in this constantly surprising world, so it gives me pleasure to be able to mention one of them, and here it is: When you're talking about America, the statement "race isn't an issue" is always wrong. Always.

    Here's what Bird said: "You know when I played, you had me and Kevin [McHale] and some others throughout the league. I think it's good for a fan base because as we all know, the majority of the fans are white America. And if you just had a couple of white guys in there, you might get them a little excited. But it is a black man's game, and it will be forever. I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American."

    Johnson agreed."We need some more L.B.s -- Larry Birds," he said. "Larry Bird, you see, can go into any neighborhood. When you say Larry Bird, black people know who he is, Hispanics, whites, and they give him the respect."

    Next page: The kids don't agree with their elders, and that's good

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