Who knew putting a ball through a hoop was so race-sensitive?
At least it is to ESPN writer William C. Rhoden, who wrote a recent op-ed for Andscape (which is a race-centered website owned by the four-letter network) taking jabs at Nikola Jokić — a superstar who just won both the NBA championship and Finals MVP with the Denver Nuggets.
In the piece, Rhoden complains about people labeling Jokić as the “greatest of all time,” even though nobody is saying that.
“My issue is not with proclamations of Jokić’s greatness but with the premature coronation of Jokić as the greatest ever, the greatest of all time, the best center the NBA has ever seen — the best of all time,” writes Rhoden. ‘Of all time’ encompasses a vast universe and can only be assessed at the end of a career. There are many more miles to travel before Jokić sits atop Mount Everest with the greatest of all time.”
Rhoden then cranks up the clown show even more by throwing race into the conversation.
“In March, Kendrick Perkins, the former NBA player turned television analyst, committed the unpardonable sin of suggesting that racism played a role in Jokić being pushed for a third consecutive MVP title,” Rhoden writes. “Perkins mentioned stat padding, but the comment that put him in hot water was that racism — Great White Hope-ism — contributed to Jokić’s elevation.”
“Perkins’ assessment was not entirely wrong, and the intense pushback he received was evidence that Perkins pricked a familiar nerve of race and racism in the United States.”
Then things get even more strange, with Rhoden throwing in the legendary Larry Bird in an attempt to prove his “point” — whatever that is.
“This is the point Detroit Pistons forward Dennis Rodman was trying to make after a heartbreaking loss to the Larry Bird-led Boston Celtics during the 1987 playoffs,” writes Rhoden. “After the game, Rodman told reporters that Bird was ‘very overrated’ and that he had won three straight MVP awards only “because he was white. ‘Larry Bird is a very, very good basketball player,’ Rodman said. ‘But if he was Black, he’d be just another guy.'”
“Rodman’s teammate Isiah Thomas backed him up. ‘I think Larry is a very, very good basketball player. He’s an exceptional talent. But I have to agree with Rodman. If he were black, he’d be just another good guy.'”
Jokic’s performance speaks for itself. But there are many more miles to travel before he sits with the greatest.
More from @RhodenRhoden8👇🏿 https://t.co/QivFta6jxP
— Andscape (@andscape) June 5, 2023
Well … that wasn’t divisive at all (*obvious sarcasm*).
I don’t really understand journalists’ fascination with bringing race and other political issues into sports so much. Nevermind just giving Nikola Jokić props for ballin’ his way to a ring, we have to try to diminish him as much as possible because he’s white — because that’s not racist at all. (RELATED: ‘Wake-Up Call’: AB InBev’s Marcel Marcondes Admits Anheuser-Busch Was Wrong On Bud Light Fiasco)
Just grab a beer and enjoy the game, Rhoden, because nobody’s trying to hear this nonsense.
Well, except for maybe your 35 Twitter followers.