Civil Rights leaders in Minnesota have taken notice that their hometown Timberwolves have a few too many white guys on their team.
Say what?
That’s right, the league average is more than double the number of African-Americans the TWolves have on the team…
“How did we get a roster that resembles the 1955 Lakers?” Tyrone Terrell, chairman of St. Paul’s African American leadership council asked Jerry Zgoda and Dennis Brackin of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. “I think everything is a strategy. Nothing happens by happenstance.”
Last season, African-Americans took 78% of the roster spots. So are the Timberwolves pandering to a fan-based that is white?
In response, the Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations, David Kahn, took issue with the allegation:
Team president David Kahn said that is “patently false” and points out that the team’s reach for the best players have included stars from Russia, Spain and Puerto Rico.
To be honest, who the hell cares what race players are on a certain team. Are GM’s supposed to start concerning themselves with race when making player transactions to ensure they meet an unofficial quota? My guess is David Kahn had no conscious or sub-conscious thoughts on race when making the moves that brought his current roster together.
If anything, I align with what newly signed Brandon Roy has to say on the matter:
“It’s just basketball,” Roy said. “I never really had to feel like I’m the only black guy out here. I’ve played on teams that maybe had all black guys and the feeling is just the same when I’m out there on the floor playing with these guys. The only problem we have is in the weight room, arguing over what music we’re going to listen to.”
Roy has got it pegged folks. “It’s just basketball.”
P.S. – No one tell the Raptors about this latest debate…
