Those embraced as a Great White Hope aren’t always devoid of skill and talent, but it’s just that their success is trumpeted at a deafening pitch
Photo: Sarah Stier (Getty Images)
Caitlin Clark has generated tons of interest in women’s basketball because of her long-range shooting and deft passing.
She’s been likened to Golden State Warriors great Stephen Curry, and that comparison ain’t crazy…that’s how special Clark is.
But some of the mania connected to Clark goes beyond the hardwood. She is the newest Great White Hope — a straight white woman excelling in a sport dominated by Black women.
Note that I said new-est. Great White Hope Syndrome isn’t a new thing in sports. It’s not even limited to sports.
All that’s needed for the syndrome to take root is Black dominance in an area that generates great prominence or wealth or both.
In boxing, Gerry Cooney emerged to provide hope that he could beat Black heavyweight champion Larry Holmes.
Didn’t happen. In Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis Presley was the radio- and TV-safe version of Black musicians whose style and flair was, ahem, “borrowed” by the “king.”
In rap, Eminem was the first white rapper to hit it big, breaking through at a time when the genre was just about entirely Black and brown.
Those embraced as a Great White Hope aren’t always devoid of skill and talent…it’s that their success is trumpeted at a deafening pitch and their prominence rises out of proportion to their actual accomplishment.
No others came before them. Nothing done before their exploits mattered.
Clark is embraced as the greatest scorer in the history of women’s college basketball, and it doesn’t matter that it’s not actually true: A Black woman — Pearl Moore of Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C. — still holds the record, set in the late 1970s.
Clark broke the NCAA’s Division I record, a tremendous accomplishment but not one that eclipses what Moore did.
Like Cooney, Elvis and Eminem, Clark can’t help who embraces her or the reasons for that embrace.
I’ve seen references to Clark as “wholesome” and “not ghetto.” The subtext of those descriptors are not lost on Black fans.
Nor has it escaped notice that Clark, without even playing in her first WNBA game, already has a reported $28 million sneaker deal with Nike.
You know who doesn’t have her own signature sneaker? That would be A’ja Wilson
. All Wilson did was win a national college championship in college, become WNBA Rookie of the Year, win two WNBA championships, pick up two league MVPs and write a New York Times best-seller called “Dear Black Girls.”
If the accomplished, effervescent Wilson can move books, there’s no reason she can’t move sneakers.
The reality, however, is that’s not likely a decision anyone who looks like her gets to make.
For some, but not all, hope trumps hardware. That’s the world in which we live.
News
NBA – The Lakers’ risky bet to attract a third star: “He wants a team…
NBA (DR) The objectives of the season having not been achieved, the leaders of the Lakers are currently increasing discussions internally and with competing franchises. Thus, rumors about the recruitment of a new star are circulating, even if the negotiations…
WNBA – In the midst of controversy, huge breakdown live on Caitlin Clark: “A White woman who…
Hawk Central (DR) Having just arrived in the WNBA as a phenomenon, Caitlin Clark is already linked to multiple controversies. And as if that wasn’t enough, a former US football star completely broke down on live TV when discussing his…
NBA – Bronny James to the Lakers with LeBron? A caption decides: “He still has a lot…
Fadeaway World (DR) / NBA (DR) Two weeks before the Draft, the potential arrival of Bronny James alongside his father LeBron with the Lakers is still debated. A franchise legend recently spoke about the prospect’s chances of landing in California….
Caitlin Clark Had The Coolest Reaction To Being Called A “White B****” By Pat McAfee
Caitlin Clark and Pat McAfee (Photos via Getty Images) Caitlin Clark has offered a reaction to being called a “White B-” by Pat McAfee, according to Pat Mcafee himself. The ESPN show host crossed a line on Monday when he referred to Clark as…
LeBron James Dropped A Very Interesting Comparison Between Himself And Caitlin Clark That Actually Makes A Ton Of Sense
LeBron James and Caitlin Clark (Photos via Getty Images) LeBron James understands firsthand the challenges that come with being a top-tier athlete facing racism and scrutiny. His own journey from a challenging background to becoming the No. 1 overall NBA draft…
Paris Olympics: LeBron James IG Post Causes Tremors , fans yearn for miracles to happen: “It’s coming…”
LeBron James will be returning to the court sooner than expected. Only this time, he will be representing his country at the Paris Olympics. It was less than a year ago when Team USA could surprisingly only secure the 4th rank at…
End of content
No more pages to load