How great would a white-american superstar be for the NBA?

[InspiredLebowski]

Because we all know how good the Pacers white American filled roster is doing in Indiana.

[beermonsteroo]

Fixed.


Lot of players in the league aren't thugs. Look at Duncan, CP3, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Wade, and Lebron. They aren't thugs unless they think everyone that has tattoos is a thug(Lebron).

Yes. But nevertheless the NBA has a thug image. Or let's be more precise. The whole game of basketball has a thug image. That's really the major issue. Therefore many white middle class americans feel that Basketball is a urban black sport and don't identify with the whole game anymore. A white superstar could change this image a bit.
There are not that many black hockey fans, are there?

[Skyscraper]

Yes. But nevertheless the NBA has a thug image. Or let's be more precise. The whole game of basketball has a thug image. That's really the major issue. Therefore many white middle class americans feel that Basketball is a urban black sport and don't identify with the whole game anymore. A white superstar could change this image a bit.
There are not that many black hockey fans, are there?

The And1 moves are urban basketball.


Playing the right way apparently is good for white folk.

[thejumpa]

In rap, Eminem pretty much did this and flipped the game on it's head. If some White guy from Nebraska or Utah or some shit was LeBron/Kobe good, it would be crazy. Of course, the chances of this happening are slim seeing as they don't have the genes Black people do.....which is pretty big if you are trying to play pro ball. I really would love to see it happen though.

[MrUnstopable]

Tim Tebow

Different sport. Football is a lot about display of emotions. Tebow does that with the best. Also if a player did what Tebow does on the football field on a basketball court... people would think said player was a thug/crazy... And YES it does matter what I just said because that is the appeal of Tebow.

[VIP2000]

There have been plenty of white american superstars in the past two decades...

Larry Bird
Tom Chambers
John Stockton
Bryant "Big Country" Reeves
Greg Ostertag
Mark Madsen
Brian Scalabrine
Chris Mihm
That Notre Dame stud that was on the Magic

[Skyscraper]

There have been plenty of white american superstars in the past two decades...

Larry Bird
Tom Chambers
John Stockton
Bryant "Big Country" Reeves
Greg Ostertag
Mark Madsen
Brian Scalabrine
Chris Mihm
That Notre Dame stud that was on the Magic

Aside from Bird, you may want to check your definition of superstar

(Stockton may be a HoF, but can anyone say he had superstar appeal?)

[Jumpman10135]

Aside from Bird, you may want to check your definition of superstar

(Stockton may be a HoF, but can anyone say he had superstar appeal?)

Stockton was a superstar. Not the others though.

[Skyscraper]

Stockton was a superstar. Not the others though.

perhaps... but superstar is not limited to talent alone

(it's not like there is an ordinal ranking system in which it goes by the NBA video game difficulty levels of

Veteran -> All Star -> Superstar -> Hall of Fame)

It seems to be a superstar, the player needs wide commercial appeal to go along with meta-All Star abilities.

[Go Getter]

Sarcasm? Right?

Has to be, lol.

The NBA would LOVE for a 'white american' superstar to emerge...and why not?

Most of the NBA's paying customers are 'white' and they would naturally attach to a player that looks like them and they could relate to....nothing wrong with that.

[Skyscraper]

Has to be, lol.

The NBA would LOVE for a 'white american' superstar to emerge...and why not?

Most of the NBA's paying customers are 'white' and they would naturally attach to a player that looks like them and they could relate to....nothing wrong with that.

I am sure most of the NBA's paying customer love Kobe or Lebron, or their hometown star just fine.

Maybe the NBA would draw even more fans if a superstar white guy with the charm of Tom Brady and the humility of Tim Tebow were to come about...

maybe that's why football is so popular, despite requiring far less skill than being a basketball player!!!!!

[Go Getter]

I am sure most of the NBA's paying customer love Kobe or Lebron, or their hometown star just fine.

Maybe the NBA would draw even more fans if a superstar white guy with the charm of Tom Brady and the humility of Tim Tebow were to come about...

maybe that's why football is so popular, despite requiring far less skill than being a basketball player!!!!!

Your point is weak.

I didn't say that ppl don't love Bron and Kobe...I'm saying that if Bron and Kobe were white they'd have more fans and it would be financially beneficial the league...think about the NBA's golden age....it was built of off Bird vs. Magic.

Caucasians would be more apt to follow a superstar that looked like them...it's not a knock...it's natural....AI was the man in 'the hood' because we could relate to him.

[Funnyfuka]

Come on son. This isnt a disney message board.
Yes, majority of people are that shallow

exactly. As a white man i like it more when a white player scores, than when it s a black player.

You dont change million years of evolution in a finger snap.

[Rowe]

It would be the best thing which coul happen to the NBA right now. The NBA has lost almost half it's Television crowd and is no where near as popular as in the 90es or early 200s. It is a fact that the NBA lost most spectators among it's tarditional major fanbase. White middleclass men between the age of 19 to 59. Call it racist, but lot's of traditional watchers among those group can't really identify with the New hip hop driven NbA anymore.
Therefore a white american superstar certainly would be a major help in bringing back those viewer. But it would be important that he is no thug or ghetto kid, but a straight up white middle class guy.

Who do you think make up the crowd at NBA games?

You cant be serious to think that the only people watching basketball are minorities. The age group of 19-59 is way too broad to be measured, its actually not measured anyways. You're talking white males 19-35 to be more exact. Yes, there are still a large portion of NBA fans between that age group.

What people don't accept or understand is that for a lot of people, black and white alike. Football is gradually becoming far and away #1 while basketball/baseball remains interchangeable at #2 and #3.

[dirkdiggler41]

I dont live in the states, so I dont know. What we can ask ourself is how did Eminem effect the hip hop industry when it came to white fans?