Los Angeles Lakers

Paper Summary:

The paper comments that African-American culture has evolved significantly in the past two decades and while the overall socio-economic conditions of African-Americans within the United States have changed substantially for the better, their cultural and institutional instincts can only be subjectively understood. The paper states that one of the growing phenomenons of this era is the emergence of sports, not only as part of their cultural legacy, but as a defining factor in masculinity. This paper looks at the cultural phenomenon of black masculinity as it is defined through the evolution of basketball into an almost defining form of masculinity within African-American culture. The paper states that basketball has transcended the development of networks and social apparatus to become an institutional concept of identity for the black community. The paper notes further that not only has it impacted youth but it is in the process of redefining traditional African-American values and attitudes.

From the Paper:

"The unprecedented success of the Lakers' three championship runs had many consequences on the media, the players, and the youth culture that thrived on their heroes' achievements. Michael Jordan once jokingly told Chicago Tribune reporter Bob Greene, "The media's crazy, they never let you go. It's like once they start following you, there's no more privacy". Although Kobe Bryant and the Lakers did not garner the same media blitz that Jordan endured throughout his career, they definitely felt the glitz and glamour of public adoration. Kobe subsequently made twelve commercials for Reebok in the year after their first championship. He signed multimillion dollar contracts with four different companies including one with Adidas for 80 million dollars. Magazines from ESPN to GQ all fought to feature him, as his reputation and name became part of the image of American basketball."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bucher, Rich. "Don't sell Kobe short on marketing power." ESPN. 22 June 2004. 10 June 2005 <http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/bucher_ric/1571567.html>.
• Euchner, Charles C.. Playing the Field. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, 1993.
• Gaston, John C. "The Destruction of the Young Black Male: The Impact of Popular Culture and Organized Sports ." Journal of Black Studies 1986. 26 May 2005 <http://links.jstor.org/ sici?sici=0021- 9347%28198606%2916%3A4%3C369%3ATDOTYB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-L >.
• Greene, Bob. Hang Time: Days and Dreams. New York: Bantam Doubleday, 1993.
• Halberstam, David. Michael Jordan: Playing for Keeps. New York: Random House, 1999.

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