NBA player Xenophobia?

[Ed Monix]

Something that I recently noticed and I am curious if is this is something or nothing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been legendary during these NBA Finals, the two way highlights of his exploits have been amazing...but none of his NBA peers have been showing any type of love on social media or through the media. If LeBron or Durant had been putting on this display, their NBA contemporaries would be losing their minds and showering them with praise.

I do wonder if Giannis had been American, would his NBA brethren be acting warmer to 2 x MVP, DPOY and future Hall of Famer?

[greg683x]

Something that I recently noticed and I am curious if is this is something or nothing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been legendary during these NBA Finals, the two way highlights of his exploits have been amazing...but none of his NBA peers have been showing any type of love on social media or through the media. If LeBron or Durant had been putting on this display, their NBA contemporaries would be losing their minds and showering them with praise.

I do wonder had Giannis had been American, would his NBA brethren be acting warmer to a two time MVP, defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer?

Maybe you’re reading too much into it.  Why is everything always automatically racism?

Giannis doesn’t really seem to have the social agenda that Lebron and Durant have, and that other NBAers want to have.  So maybe he just doesn’t have the built up rapport with everyone else in the league that would result in the behavior that you’re looking for.

[hpantazo]

You mean nationalism instead of racism, right?

There certainly seems to be some serious nationalism going on in the NBA this season. American NBA players just don't embrace the success of foreign born NBA players. This is a problem with the  NBA's goal for globalization. Marketing the league internationally and having international stars carry the torch as the premier players in the NBA would be a financial dream come true for NBA brass and owners. US players though, they see it as competition for their jobs and their marketing opportunities.

Giannis may not have the support guys like Lebron or KD have in the US, but he brings  a huge fan base internationally that the  US fan base alone cannot compete with.

Jokic winning league MVP was another example.

The game is changing rapidly. We could have a foreign born league MVP and a foreign born defensive player of the year, finals MVP and leader of the NBA champions all in the same year.  The olympics I'm afraid will emphasize this change as we will see the US team struggle.

The game has gone from 'look,  there's the token Euro player who doesn't suck' to 'these foreign guys are running the league right now in Giannis, Jokic, Gobert, Embiid and Luka.

[Ed Monix]

Something that I recently noticed and I am curious if is this is something or nothing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been legendary during these NBA Finals, the two way highlights of his exploits have been amazing...but none of his NBA peers have been showing any type of love on social media or through the media. If LeBron or Durant had been putting on this display, their NBA contemporaries would be losing their minds and showering them with praise.

I do wonder had Giannis had been American, would his NBA brethren be acting warmer to a two time MVP, defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer?

Maybe you’re reading too much into it.  Why is everything always automatically racism?

Giannis doesn’t really seem to have the social agenda that Lebron and Durant have, and that other NBAers want to have.  So maybe he just doesn’t have the built up rapport with everyone else in the league that would result in the behavior that you’re looking for.

I am someone who rarely brings race into conversation, but I do think there is something to this, especially since we have evidence of Jokic's MVP season being downplayed by the NBA stars.

[Ed Monix]

You mean nationalism instead of racism, right?

There certainly seems to be some serious nationalism going on in the NBA this season. American NBA players just don't embrace the success of foreign born NBA players. This is a problem with the  NBA's goal for globalization. Marketing the league internationally and having international stars carry the torch as the premier players in the NBA would be a financial dream come true for NBA brass and owners. US players though, they see it as competition for their jobs and their marketing opportunities.

Giannis may not have the support guys like Lebron or KD have in the US, but he brings  a huge fan base internationally that the  US fan base alone cannot compete with.

Jokic winning league MVP was another example.

The game is changing rapidly. We could have a foreign born league MVP and a foreign born defensive player of the year, finals MVP and leader of the NBA champions all in the same year.  The olympics I'm afraid will emphasize this change as we will see the US team struggle.

Perhaps we are both using the wrong word, Xenophobia is probably the right terminology.

[Neurotic Guy]

Something that I recently noticed and I am curious if is this is something or nothing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been legendary during these NBA Finals, the two way highlights of his exploits have been amazing...but none of his NBA peers have been showing any type of love on social media or through the media. If LeBron or Durant had been putting on this display, their NBA contemporaries would be losing their minds and showering them with praise.

I do wonder had Giannis had been American, would his NBA brethren be acting warmer to a two time MVP, defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer?

Maybe you’re reading too much into it.  Why is everything always automatically racism?

Giannis doesn’t really seem to have the social agenda that Lebron and Durant have, and that other NBAers want to have.  So maybe he just doesn’t have the built up rapport with everyone else in the league that would result in the behavior that you’re looking for.

Everything of course isn't automatically racism.  As this wasn't.  The OP not only didn't mention racism, it was clear his message wasn't about racism at all.

[hpantazo]

You mean nationalism instead of racism, right?

There certainly seems to be some serious nationalism going on in the NBA this season. American NBA players just don't embrace the success of foreign born NBA players. This is a problem with the  NBA's goal for globalization. Marketing the league internationally and having international stars carry the torch as the premier players in the NBA would be a financial dream come true for NBA brass and owners. US players though, they see it as competition for their jobs and their marketing opportunities.

Giannis may not have the support guys like Lebron or KD have in the US, but he brings  a huge fan base internationally that the  US fan base alone cannot compete with.

Jokic winning league MVP was another example.

The game is changing rapidly. We could have a foreign born league MVP and a foreign born defensive player of the year, finals MVP and leader of the NBA champions all in the same year.  The olympics I'm afraid will emphasize this change as we will see the US team struggle.

Perhaps we are both using the wrong word, Xenophobia is probably the right terminology.

Yes, that looks more accurate, although nationalism fits as well, the identification with one's own nation and support of its interests and values

[hpantazo]

You mean nationalism instead of racism, right?

There certainly seems to be some serious nationalism going on in the NBA this season. American NBA players just don't embrace the success of foreign born NBA players. This is a problem with the  NBA's goal for globalization. Marketing the league internationally and having international stars carry the torch as the premier players in the NBA would be a financial dream come true for NBA brass and owners. US players though, they see it as competition for their jobs and their marketing opportunities.

Giannis may not have the support guys like Lebron or KD have in the US, but he brings  a huge fan base internationally that the  US fan base alone cannot compete with.

Jokic winning league MVP was another example.

The game is changing rapidly. We could have a foreign born league MVP and a foreign born defensive player of the year, finals MVP and leader of the NBA champions all in the same year.  The olympics I'm afraid will emphasize this change as we will see the US team struggle.

Perhaps we are both using the wrong word, Xenophobia is probably the right terminology.

Yes, that looks more accurate, although nationalism fits as well, the identification with one's own nation and support of its interests and values

edit. wrong thread

[86MaxwellSmart]

The entire idea of The Olympics is based on Nationalism.

[hpantazo]

The entire idea of The Olympics is based on Nationalism.

Precisely, and its becoming visible in the NBA now that foreign players are surpassing US players.

[tazzmaniac]

The entire idea of The Olympics is based on Nationalism.

Precisely, and its becoming visible in the NBA now that foreign players are surpassing US players.

Is it?  I don't see the top foreign players pushing their nationalism.  For that matter, I don't see top US players doing so either. 

[gouki88]

I’m not sure that it’s outright nationalism. It’s certainly favouritism, but Chris Paul is the President of the NBPA and calls LeBron and the like close friends. I think that could certainly be a factor.

[Neurotic Guy]

The entire idea of The Olympics is based on Nationalism.

It may be the way the Olympics plays out, but I'm pretty sure that the modern idea of the Olympics is not based on Nationalism.  A google of Olympic values, principles, or mission provides nothing that resembles Nationalism.   Again... the Olympics may end up inadvertently promoting what it doesn't intend to promote, but it's basis is not about national pride to the exclusion of the interest of other nations. It's supposed to be about gathering in support of excellence, respect, promotion of international sport, and other nice things.

[greg683x]

Something that I recently noticed and I am curious if is this is something or nothing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been legendary during these NBA Finals, the two way highlights of his exploits have been amazing...but none of his NBA peers have been showing any type of love on social media or through the media. If LeBron or Durant had been putting on this display, their NBA contemporaries would be losing their minds and showering them with praise.

I do wonder had Giannis had been American, would his NBA brethren be acting warmer to a two time MVP, defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer?

Maybe you’re reading too much into it.  Why is everything always automatically racism?

Giannis doesn’t really seem to have the social agenda that Lebron and Durant have, and that other NBAers want to have.  So maybe he just doesn’t have the built up rapport with everyone else in the league that would result in the behavior that you’re looking for.

Everything of course isn't automatically racism.  As this wasn't.  The OP not only didn't mention racism, it was clear his message wasn't about racism at all.

He literally titled the thread ‘NBA player Racism?’  Also read his reply to mine. 

What he was talking about isn’t actually racism, but that’s part of what I was talking about.  Everything today is just called racism even when it’s actually not even about race.

[Moranis]

I think this is more about how popular and well liked Chris Paul is among the players than pretty much anything else.  Lebron, in particular, is super close to Paul.  So if you comment about how great Giannis is, you are pretty much slapping Paul in the face.  At least I think that is how players would perceive it, and no one is going to slap Paul in the face.