In 2005 a group of current and former NBA players traveled to Mississippi and Louisiana to view the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane was a wake up call for NBA athletes because the hardest hit were black and poor, many of them having stayed behind because they could not evacuate. Many athletes on the trip were raised in Mississippi and other parts of the south. They knew first hand what it meant to live in the harsh conditions. Shareef Abdur-Rahim of the Sacramento Kings and Allan Houston the former New York Knick sat at a table discussing the crisis, as well as the problem of leadership among African American athletes. What was needed at this moment of crisis was a individual who could lead athletes to mobilize, rally and execute a plan of action. As President George Bush was to no help, the NBA players were looking for a Michael Jordan type figure to lead the troops. But the NBA players could not find a leader, where black athletes have failed to produce a leader who understands the potential to change the society for African Americans.
In the 19th century winning meant survival. The next generation, the generation of Jackie Robinson, winning was gaining access. Now winning is a scholarship to a big school and a large pro contract. Lifestyle, high-profile employment and status have taken over the athletes we see today. Winning now for African Americans are to see more employment beyond the courts, fields and diamonds.
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