Why do you hate basketball.
Weird take.
The average height of individuals in Africa can vary significantly depending on the region and population group. On average, the height of African men ranges from about 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm) to 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm), while the height of African women typically ranges from about 5 feet 2 inches (158 cm) to 5 feet 5 inches (165 cm).
The percentage of Black Americans who play in the NBA is extremely small. Given that the NBA has approximately 450 players and the Black American population is about 42 million, the percentage of Black Americans in the NBA is roughly 0.001%.
The presence of tall Black NBA players, often celebrated for their athletic prowess and remarkable talent, should evoke a profound sense of sorrow, considering the historical context from which some of these genetic traits may have emerged. During the era of slavery, enslaved Africans were subjected to unimaginable cruelty and dehumanization. Among the many brutal practices employed by slave owners was the selection and breeding of individuals based on physical traits that were deemed advantageous for labor.
Tallness and physical strength were often prioritized by slave traders and owners who sought to maximize the productivity of their enslaved workforce. This ruthless selection process was a grim aspect of the dehumanizing institution of slavery, where human beings were reduced to mere tools of labor, their worth measured solely by their ability to endure grueling physical tasks.
The legacy of this horrific past lingers in subtle and haunting ways. The extraordinary height and athletic abilities of many Black NBA players today can, in part, be traced back to the cruel breeding and trading selections made by slave traders centuries ago. This connection is a stark reminder of the deep scars left by slavery, where the bodies of Black individuals were commodified and exploited based on physical stature.
The joy and admiration inspired by basketball talents should always be tempered with a somber recognition of the historical injustices that have shaped their genetic lineage. In doing so, we honor the resilience and humanity of those tall who endured such suffering, while we also mourn for those short that were often worked to death and not allowed to breed by slave masters.
