Wolves criticized for having too many white players

[jonathanlambert33]

Dante Cunningham noticed when he reported for work in Minnesota this fall that his new Timberwolves team is unlike any for which he has ever played.

"Day One, we were all in the elevator and I kind of looked up," he said about a crowded ride with many of his new teammates, "and I was just like, 'Where is everybody?' "

Everybody, in this case, being black teammates. Come opening night on Friday, Cunningham will be one of five black players on a 15-man Wolves team that has reversed the National Basketball Association's historical racial percentages with a roster that is the league's whitest since the Boston Celtics teams of the 1980s.

Raised in Washington, D.C., and educated at Villanova, Cunningham played his first four professional seasons for three different teams in a league where American-born black players constituted 78 percent of roster spots last season and have been at least 75 percent since 1991-92.

Twin Cities black leaders have noticed, suggesting the franchise strategically has rolled back the calendar by decades in a league that long has been at the forefront of diversity among America's professional sports leagues.

"How did we get a roster that resembles the 1955 Lakers?" asked Tyrone Terrell, chairman of St. Paul's African American leadership council. "I think everything is a strategy. Nothing happens by happenstance."

That strategy, Terrell and others in the black community believe, is to sell tickets to the Wolves' fan base, which is overwhelmingly white.

When everyone's healthy, the Wolves will start Love alongside Europeans Ricky Rubio, Andrei Kirilenko, Nikola Pekovic and American Brandon Roy, a three-time former All-Star who in attempting a retirement comeback on degenerative knees is their only black starter.

Terrell calls it "scary" that the Wolves would assemble a roster almost 70 percent white in a sport so dominated by blacks. For Edwards, the numbers trouble him by the "historical view," what he calls a "nullification of diversity and a reversal of history."

 

[BwareDWare94]

Oh my dear sweet Jesus, who the fuck is this Tyrone Terrell and why is his opinion worth writing about in the first place? This has got to be one of the dumbest damn things I've heard in my life.

There is no racism involved here, and that is not deniable. Mr Terrell, do us all a favor and shut your fucking mouth. The 15 best players made this roster and it had nothing to do with race. Do really believe a coach of Rick Adelman's caliber would do anything but keep his best 15? Come the fuck on.

If anybody takes this seriously, I'm writing you off as somebody who tries to unveil problems that aren't there, just like Tyrone Terrell.

 

[Elite]

Oh my dear sweet Jesus, who the fuck is this Tyrone Terrell and why is his opinion worth writing about in the first place? This has got to be one of the dumbest damn things I've heard in my life.

There is no racism involved here, and that is not deniable. Mr Terrell, do us all a favor and shut your fucking mouth. The 15 best players made this roster and it had nothing to do with race. Do really believe a coach of Rick Adelman's caliber would do anything but keep his best 15? Come the fuck on.

If anybody takes this seriously, I'm writing you off as somebody who tries to unveil problems that aren't there, just like Tyrone Terrell.

How do you misinterpret the point every time?

He's obviously not criticizing Adelman for cutting black players and keeping white players, he's criticizing the GM for assembling so many white players.

 

[Rios15]

Though it is questionable, something like this really shouldn't be brought up... there's still non-white players on the team anyways. We shouldn't be looking at color as an issue on a team in my opinion, especially if the team is only focused on bringing the best talent possible to the team... but it still depends on how far it is -- like I said, the whole team isn't white. Just about 65% of the team is lol. But yeah, color shouldn't be look at as an issue.

 

[Pugz]

the only racism involved here is from all the black people who would take offense by this.

 

[BwareDWare94]

How do you misinterpret the point every time?

He's obviously not criticizing Adelman for cutting black players and keeping white players, he's criticizing the GM for assembling so many white players.

How do you miss the point of my posts every time? Even if Kahn assembled these players, it's not like Adelman was going to do anything other than keep the best 15.

 

[BwareDWare94]

Though it is questionable, something like this really shouldn't be brought up... there's still non-white players on the team anyways. We shouldn't be looking at color as an issue on a team in my opinion, especially if the team is only focused on bringing the best talent possible to the team... but it still depends on how far it is -- like I said, the whole team isn't white. Just about 65% of the team is lol. But yeah, color shouldn't be look at as an issue.

How is it questionable? It obviously wasn't by intention.

 

[Rios15]

How is it questionable? It obviously wasn't by intention.

You can't say obviously because you don't really really know. Even if a team was all black that could be questionable. Anything is really questionable in most situations (in life really). But as I said it isn't something that should be brought up or something the Timberwolves organization should even be accused of. I don't think it was intended either lol.

 

[Elite]

How do you miss the point of my posts every time? Even if Kahn assembled these players, it's not like Adelman was going to do anything other than keep the best 15.

I didn't miss the point of your post, your main idea behind it of Adelman keeping the best players is valid, but that's not what this guy was saying.

He doesn't think Adelman cut black players and kept whites who didn't deserve it, he thinks Kahn intentionally signed/traded for/drafted white players.

 

[BwareDWare94]

I didn't miss the point of your post, your main idea behind it of Adelman keeping the best players is valid, but that's not what this guy was saying.

He doesn't think Adelman cut black players and kept whites who didn't deserve it, he thinks Kahn intentionally signed/traded for/drafted white players.

Which. is. absurd. You and I both know that. That was the point of my post. I simply stated that regardless of the assembly, there were still black players to choose from.

 

[dez]

Just a article to cause a stir.. And by this dudes dwares comments it worked lol

I know why there aren't many black players..How many wanna play in Minny anyway? I'm sure it isn't their 1st choice lol

 

[bosoxlover12]

So it's racism if 33% of the Wolves are black, even though the 7% of the Celtics are white and that's not racist

 

[Mexi]

if it aint white it aint right
fuck this guy

 

[CameronCrazy06]

Why does it matter if it works? There's got to be multiple teams in the NBA history that are 100% african-American and no one has ever said a word about it.

 

[Pugz]

Why does it matter if it works? There's got to be multiple teams in the NBA history that are 100% african-American and no one has ever said a word about it.

if someone said something itd be racist.

our society's double edged sword.

 

[elcheato]

Most of their white players are actually good

 

[Sabbath]

They are just trying to build a "high-motor" team

 

[RipCity32]

I think it is awesome what they are doing in Minnesota haha.