Cultural and race diversity has become a big deal in sports today. Different players from different cultures and ethnicity travel to America to become apart of the athletic world of sports. Many face criticism and controversy, but for the most part they are accepted and used as moguls for promoting diversity in sports and media. There is an increased level of globalization in the world of sports. The National Basketball Association better known as the NBA is a host for many foreign basketball players that have had an impact on American society and sports.. With these players having this impact on American culture could there possibly still be racism and discrimination against these future moguls of international basketball?
In the case of a foreign star player of the Houston Rockets in the NBA, Yao Ming has brought a new outlook on Asian culture and customs. Yao Ming is a seven foot five basketball star who is known for his passive ways and timid personality. These features are closely associated with Asians today. With Yao coming to America and constant advertising and media showing he has brought Asian culture into America. Its seems as though the NBA is using Yao popularity to sell tickets to the huge population of Asians and attract more fans to the Houston Rockets game. Yao Ming's popularity and success in the NBA can show the decaying of the barrier between America and Asian countries mainly China. Although Yao has been accepted and is popular in America sports commentators and even fellow NBA players still criticize and associate Yao with the stereotypes of most Asians.
Stereotypes associated with Asians are difficulties speaking and understanding the english language, being bad drivers, eating weird kinds of food, and being shy and passive. In an article discussing Yao's career and advertising it talks about him being a passive player and being very humble. The article talks about how Shaquille O'Neal a fellow basketball player criticizes Ming and doesn't get a response from the public. This is where the question of racism towards Asians arises. Shaq was not criticized or punished for his racist remark. This could show that Americans accept the racism against Asians and even other cultures and races. I believe that the non-response from society shows that America still has not really accepted Asian culture even with the popularity of Yao Ming.
In the future I feel that the globalization of basketball will continue to increase. Whether or not there will still be the acceptance of racism against certain ethnicities and culture is not known, but it is obvious that the popularity of the player has no effect on the racism of others. If a fellow basketball player's racist comments is accepted then there will be many other comments made by people in America. So no matter how popular a foreign player is there is still that level of racism present that shouldn't be there. I feel that these players come to America for a better opportunity not to be discriminated against.
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