basketball
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Mookie Betts Details MLB's Failures to Address Social Injustice, Become More Inclusive: They 'Did Not Do a Good Job'
I sure as hell ain’t the only Black person who works at The Root, but I’ve definitely had more of my fair share of being the only one in the room throughout the course of my life. So I can only imagine what MLB superstar Mookie Betts goes through every single day while playing baseball—one…
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After Owning the Boston Celtics for Years, LeBron James Becomes Part-Owner of Boston Red Sox
Since entering the NBA in 2003 as an 18-year-old phenom, LeBron James has completely transformed what it means to be a professional athlete. Aside from being dominant on the court, he frequently uses his platform to combat social injustice and has evolved into a savvy businessman whose interests extend to music, the restaurant industry, education,…
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High School Basketball Team That Announcer Called the N-Word Claps Back With State Championship
Whew, the devil is busy. This weekend, you might’ve heard about a Sapulpa, Okla., basketball announcer who was kind enough to call members of the Norman High School girls basketball team “fucking niggers” because they committed the unpardonable sin of kneeling during the national anthem. I know, I know…they don’t like when we get all…
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Patrick Ewing Has 99 Problems, and Getting Harassed by Security at Madison Square Garden Shouldn't Be One of Them
Ask any hoops head who’s the greatest New York Knick of all-time and you’ll get one of three answers: Walt Frazier, Willis Reid, or Patrick Ewing. (Jerome James is also an acceptable answer.) Yet despite being the centerpiece of the franchise for 15 years—13 of which the team made the playoffs—there are apparently living, breathing…
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Is Blake Griffin the Final Piece to the Brooklyn Nets' Championship Puzzle?
For hoop heads, there’s nothing more disrespectful than being dismissed as a casual fan. But if there’s a single barometer for how well you follow the NBA, it’s your take on Blake Griffin signing to the Brooklyn Nets. But first, I’ll allow the six-time All-Star to explain why he joined The Borg, since apparently “resistance…
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Creighton Basketball Coach Greg McDermott Suspended for Telling Players to 'Stay on the Plantation'
It’s often said that pain and laughter have a symbiotic relationship. And if anybody knows about using humor to anesthetize the bullshit we endure on a daily basis, it’s Black folks. That’s why all I could do was laugh out loud when I heard about what white-ass Creighton basketball coach Greg McDermott said to his…
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Damian Lillard Reveals the Unspeakable Tragedies He's Been Playing Through: 'People Have No Idea'
Without question, this past year has been unlike anything any of us have faced before. But each day, we try our best to put those feelings of fear and uncertainty aside in order to trudge forward and provide for our families. Contrary to popular belief, despite the extravagant trappings of a lifestyle most of us…
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Renee Montgomery Windmill Dunks on Kelly Loeffler, Becomes First Former Player to Be Owner, Executive of WNBA Franchise
When former Atlanta Dream guard Renee Montgomery decided to sit out during the 2020 WNBA season in order to focus on social justice issues, it was the officer-related death of George Floyd that compelled her to act. But little did she know that this tragedy would also serve as a catalyst for a series of…
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HBCUs, Communities of Color Impacted by COVID-19 Will Be the Real Winners During NBA All-Star Weekend
We’re mere days away from NBA All-Star Weekend, and while it’s not exactly the brightest idea to host an event that will draw thousands of people to Atlanta in the middle of a global pandemic, that doesn’t mean there isn’t at least some good that can come from the festivities. On Tuesday, the NBA and…