Casey thinks King would appreciate today’s NBA
• Dwane Casey is among the most respected head coaches in basketball, a disciple of the old school who is well aware of race in America.
The NBA has been a vanguard when it comes to embracing different cultures and respecting each segment of the population.
Casey grew up in the civil rights era and Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an important holiday to commemorate.
“Being one of the older coaches in the league, I remember very vividly integration, segregation, all the things I went through,” Casey said. “It’s funny because some things have changed for the best and some things haven’t changed.
“Some of the same faces and eyes you see are doing some of the same things, but vaguely ... a little bit more veiled and kind of shielded.”
Casey added he believes King would like today’s NBA.
“You’re judged on how you play and not who you are or what country you’re from, what colour you are. It’s so many things that society should be more like,” he said.
Casey said he tells his kids all the time about what his generation endured. “I remember going through integration. I went to my first day of school with white kids and being scared to death,” he said. “There used to be fights every day because I was called the ‘ N’ word. Now, every day, some of those same guys are my friends.
“There is hope, there is optimism, there is a positive outlook and hopefully our leadership and our country will heed what Dr. King (stood for) and not just give it lip service for one day.”
To its credit, the NBA has been vocal on matters of race with some of the game’s biggest names taking offence whenever Donald Trump makes race-based comments.
“You hope and pray they ( young generation of players) paid attention in class, paid attention when mom and dad, grandmother and grandfather were talking to them about segregation and the dogs, the Ku Klux Klan ... all that stuff.”