We're sure you've heard about the "whites-only" basketball league called the All-American Basketball Alliance by now. The commissioner of the league, Don "Moose" Lewis, is steadfast on trying to make this work while maintaining that the league isn't racist.
Hard-core sports radio host Bomani Jones took the commish to task in a 35-minute interview, where Lewis continually tried to justify the league:
Lewis: "What we're stressing here is fundamental basketball, which blatantly fits white players better."
Jones: "Why do you think it blatantly fits white players better?"
Lewis: "Well, because the facts speak for themselves. Look at the NBA, which is a very athletic-oriented style of play. Would you agree with that?"
Jones: "There are definitely good athletes in the league, but it's hard to get to the NBA if your fundamentals aren't strong."
Lewis: "That can be debated, but fundamentals do get lost in the shuffle. With our league, it's going to be emphasized. That's the first thing. Secondly, the other reason for the league of being white, American-born players, not only to stress the fundamentals, but also, it is to create positive role models in the community. Now I know that's going to get some type of question from you, right?"
Jones: "Well, I'm just curious. I've never felt like there's a shortage of positive white role models."
When pressed on the segregation issue, Lewis finally lamented and admitted that his league was indeed segregated.
Jones: "How in the world is it not racist if you don't allow anybody to play but white Americans? It's segregated."
Lewis: "It's the same as a private club."
Jones: "But that would be segregated also."
Lewis: "The league is not segregated because we allow ownership of anyone, know matter what their color is."
Lewis: "But you won't let anybody play but white people.... If you say that only white people can play, I have no idea how that's not segregated."
Lewis: "I'll agree in a sense, yes, it is segregated."
Regardless of the segregation, Lewis still tried to be more inclusive of black players in his proposed All-Star game:
Lewis: "I've been approached by two different parties to not only televise what we're doing, but to turn this into a reality show from the time we start all the way through, and at the end, have our white all-stars play a group of all-star black players, with the series called Snowball Versus Bro Ball."
Jones: "And one last thing I want to ask you about before I let you go is, you talked about this before, that you talked to somebody about the Snowball Versus the Bro Ball. Where would you be finding these bros?"
Lewis: "We have had calls from black players, and some of them have actually played in our other league, and are friends of mine, that they would love to have a group of all-stars play against our all-stars. You know what? I promise you that we will sell out whatever arena we go into with that. I promise you that. That's the way people are, and that's the way human nature is."
Jones: "Sir, that doesn't sound like a horrible idea to you?"
Lewis: "Nope. Sounds like fun."
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