The NBA's Ethnicity Experiment

During and after last week's NBA draft, I was put off by the fuss many pundits were making about the influx of foreign draftees. "Geez, I can't pronounce these weird names," they complained. I understand that it's harder for fans (myself included) to get psyched up about guys they've never seen play, but there was clearly a xenophobic tone to it all. But SI's Phil Taylor raises a very interesting question: will the league benefit from the fact that most of these foreign players are white?

"If nothing else, the new international flavor of the league is setting up a fascinating sociological experiment: What is more important to the American sporting consumer -- race or culture? Clearly, some fans have been turned off by the urban, hip-hop, go-for-the-dunk-and-damn-the-fundamentals feel of the predominantly black NBA. Will those people like the league better if it's populated by more Caucasians whose names they can't pronounce? If Antoine Walker and Jermaine O'Neal don't suit your taste, will you really prefer Zarko Cabarkapa or Sofoklis Schortsanitis?"

I'm guessing that the overall popularity of the NBA in America won't depend on race or culture. The NBA will alway's be about individual stars. When the next transcendent icon emerges, whether it's LeBron or Darko, he'll resurrect the league single-handedly.