‘Slave master’ comments are inappropriate

Over the course of a 6- month NBA regular season, the average player is bound to say something dumb during a post- game interview. Just ask Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala.

After a discouraging 103102 loss to Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Iguodala was asked if he knew head coach Steve Kerr planned to hold him and three other starters out of Saturdays’ game vs. the San Antonio Spurs. Iguodala denied any knowledge of the plan, replying, “I do what master say.”

It was impossible to interpret the “master” comment as anything but a reference to the 18th- and 19th- century enslavement of African- Americans, a horrible blight on the US’ human rights record that can never be fully remedied. That analogy would seem to portray Kerr as a slave master.

This is an incredibly unfair comparison. In less than three full seasons as the Warriors’ head coach, Kerr has walked the authority figure vs. players’ coach line as adeptly as any coach in the league. His team, which labored mightily to win under dictatorial coach Mark Jackson, have advanced to two NBA Finals, winning one title and setting a record for most regular- season wins along the way.

Not to mention that comparing NBA players to slaves is beyond ludicrous. The former are paid millions of dollars to play a game that they love; the latter were stripped of essential rights and used as human chattel for the financial benefit of others. As The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears wrote, “Iguodala’s ‘ master’ comments disrespect the experience of actual slaves.”

On Monday, Iguodala issued a non- apology apology, full of vague language and devoid of personal accountability. The league later fined him $ 10,000, or less than 10 percent of what he earns for a single regularseason game. But the NBA continues to enjoy great financial success, proving that in a country whose racial problems are as clear as black and white, the color that matters most is green.