The Insufficient Representation of Asian-Americans in Professional Sports Teams: An Examination
In the hustling-bustling Washington D.C. area of the '90s, young Mike Mon couldn't escape one persistent question on the basketball court: "Bruce Lee?" Thiscasual jibe, a cruel reminder of his ethnicity, was a familiar one for many Asian-American players.
Fast forward to today, and Mon, who's Chinese-American, is the tournament director of the Asian Basketball Championships of North America – a platform that brings together competitive teams from across the continent, all with one thing in common: their Asian descent. These leagues have existed for nearly a century, with Mon's father and grandfather also having played in Chinese-American leagues back in the day.
Despite the rich legacy of youth basketball within the Asian-American community, the number of Asian-Americans in Division I college basketball and the pros remains dismal. Jeremy Lin's two-week streak of "Linsanity" back in 2012 was a shock to many, revealing the lack of expectation for Asian-American basketball stars. So, why's the surprise? Like any issue involving race and culture, it's a complex question with roots deep within the Asian-American community.
Education Over Athletics
When probed for answers, both Asian-American athletes and academics frequently pointed to education as the primary focus within Asian-American households. Common phrases like "Where's basketball going to get you?" or "Where's football going to get you?" reinforce this sentiment. Education is seen as the pathway to success, while athletics is viewed as a gamble with limited odds.
First-generation Asian-Americans often faced the same social and financial pressures as other immigrant groups in the early 20th century. Pressure from parents steering kids away from extracurricular distractions played a significant role in limiting the number of Asian-American athletes in the college sports pipeline and beyond. However, this narrative doesn't fully unravel the mystery. Respect is another critical factor.
Lack of Respect
The disrespect experienced by Asian-American players on the court echoes through history, making its way back to Jeremy Lin, the Taiwanese-American basketball player whose skills went largely unnoticed during his high school years. Lin, despite being named first-team All State in California and earning recognition as Division II "Player of the Year," failed to receive any Division I college scholarship offers.
"That's absolutely ridiculous," says Mon. "In a state like California, the Player of the Year doesn't get scholarship offer? In that instance, that's clearly a stereotype that Asian players can't compete at that level."
Inner-city Richmond native Kirk Kim faced a similar reality growing up. Asian-American players weren't taken seriously, he says, which drove him to build a tougher mentality – one that convinced him he could achieve anything.
The NCAA statistics from the 2015-16 school year demonstrate the extent of the respect problem. Only 14 Asian-American men's basketball players participated in Division I out of the 5,472 total players – a mere 0.26%. Similar figures hold true for football and baseball, where Asian-American representation is less than 1%. In contrast, 10.5% of women's Division I golfers and 14.6% of men's fencers were Asian.
"Respect has a lot to do with it," says Mon. "Where are the coaches going to respect you? Where are the other players going to respect you?"
The good news is that things are changing, and Jeremy Lin has been a driving force. "Linsanity" finally gave Asian-American kids a role model to look up to, despite being largely ignored by colleges and the NBA.
"Since that happened, there has definitely been a larger number of Asian kids playing AAU [basketball]," says Mon. "When we run our youth tournaments [for the Asian-American league], now I have to schedule around the big AAU weekends. Five years ago, it didn't even figure into our planning process. That's a positive sign."
Breaking Down Barriers
Wataru Misaka, the first Asian-American player in the NBA, broke barriers back in 1947 – a year before Jackie Robinson shattered the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Misaka's legacy paved the way for future Asian-American athletes, reminding us that change is possible. With time, hearts and minds open, and role models to look up to, the fight for equal representation in sports continues.
- In contrast to the Asian Basketball Championships of North America, the representation of Asian-Americans in Division I college basketball and professional leagues remains minimal, much like Jeremy Lin's lack of recognition during his high school years.
- Despite the rise of AAU basketball and the impact of role models like Jeremy Lin, barriers for Asian-American athletes in sports still exist, a stark reminder of the complexities facing this community even as we follow the footsteps of pioneers like Wataru Misaka.
