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A scoring basket – credit
Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins is facing criticism for his recent comment that the NBA’s reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic, holds the title only because of the biased racial makeup of MVP voters. Jokic, who happens to be white, was voted in because of the “80% of MVP voters who are also white,” Perkins suggested while a guest on ESPN’s First Take. ESPN and Perkins eventually walked back these remarks, conceding that the voters were more diverse than portrayed by Perkins. But, if you follow Perkins online, it’s clear he still holds these views.
As others have pointed out, given that just 5 of the last 30 NBA MVPs were white, it seems improbable (though not impossible) that this is part of some larger racial conspiracy against players of color. By that logic, we could also argue that, since the last 3 white players to win MVP were foreign-born, there is a conspiracy against American-born white NBA players. This is also improbable.
82% of NBA players are black or brown. Few would argue that there are current policies in place that systematically benefit players of color above other racial groups. Even fewer would say that the reason for this disparity is that there are policies that discriminate against whites. Unequal outcomes don’t necessarily mean unequal treatment. We wouldn’t conclude that men are held back from pursuing teaching jobs simply because 89% of elementary school teachers are female.
That so few white players make it into the league, let alone win MVP, and Perkins still believes there is racial bias favoring whites, is a symptom of a deeper problem. In America, we can’t help but see things through a racial lens. And for valid reason—we are still very much dealing with our legacy of racist policies (slavery, redlining, Jim crow, denial of access to the GI bill, stop and frisk).
This is likely what Perkins was referring to when he went on to say: “This is how a lot of former African American players have been feeling for decades now.” I took this to mean that he feels black people are (still) not given a fair shot in America. Many agree with this statement. But because race is central to some problems doesn’t mean that it is the single driver or root cause of every problem. I don’t believe that racism is behind Jokic’s MVP candidacy.
In public health, we learn that it is difficult to determine which unequal outcomes were the result of policy and which were due to some other factor(s): environment, culture, individual behavior, biology, or perhaps a combination. In reality, problems have multiple causes. It is also not possible to achieve perfect equity, for all groups, in all places, at all times. In spite of this, we must still strive to do better.
However much blame you think Perkins deserves for his words, if any, the massive rush to attack or defend him is not “doing better.” By doing so, we leave no room for nuance and complexity—MVP voters are either racist, or they’re not. Policies are either racist or they’re anti-racist. I wrote about why that’s insufficient in a response to Dr. Ibram Kendi: here.
As a white guy, I’ve said some things that I later realized were misinformed, even offensive, about race, gender, and a myriad of other topics. Only because of the grace displayed by friends, family, and peers was I able to learn how I was wrong. Because they knew me, they gave me the benefit of the doubt. They trusted that I wasn’t evil or malicious. And I’m a better person because of it.
Underneath our interactions was the assurance that if I slipped up and said something wrong, even hurtful, I would be given an opportunity to redeem myself and improve based on what I learned (It was hurtful when I said X because of Y. I will take that into account the next time we talk about topic Z). This is known as "psychological safety." Instead of embarrassing, rejecting, or punishing me, my friends patiently pointed out my mistakes/ignorance. Because of this, I was happy to return the favor if/when the roles reversed. This is what allowed us to continue to engage in difficult conversations, in good faith each time, all resolving to do better.
Unfortunately for Perkins, and the rest of us, America’s discourse around race is the opposite of psychological safety. You see this in action when Perkins’ assertion was challenged by fellow former NBA player, JJ Reddick (who is white) and, instead of hearing him out, Perkins repeatedly shouts “It’s the facts, it’s the facts!”, over Reddick. (Reddick isn’t great waiting for his turn to talk, either.) Not only is the exchange uncomfortable to watch, but it lacks the vulnerability and humility required to build psychological safety. Instead of conveying Maybe I’m wrong… Perkins’ actions said Definitely I’m right. And there’s nothing you can say to disprove it.
This exchange reflects our current culture. Perkins’ reaction was close-minded and unproductive. But so, too, is dismissing him entirely. Perkins “cancelled” Reddick by not allowing him to speak. Twitter users cancelled Perkins by berating him in the comments. To cancel is to deny any possibility of growth—his or our own.
Every cry of injustice does not make it so, but it should still be considered, thoughtfully and compassionately, in case it is so. Like how the NBA has made considerable progress in hiring minority candidates to leadership positions after listening to the concerns of their players and fans.
We all have a role to play in building the type of relationships strong enough to withstand difficult conversations. When you find yourself in a heated debate, instead of shouting that you’re right, consider the reasons why you might be wrong. If you’re the one being shouted at, you still have a choice: condemnation or growth, cancellation or grace. Choose wisely.
