Notes of a Native Son

From LeBron James to Oscar Grant

A frequent reaction to the media hoopla of LeBron James’ now infamous “decision” to sign with the Miami Heat has decried the lack of attention afforded to the conclusion of Oakland BART officer Johannes Mehserle’s trial for the shooting of 22 year-old Oscar Grant. This reaction is both poignant and praiseworthy, but as a contemporary of both James and Grant, I am surprised to find few attempts to place their narratives in productive conversation about the state of young black men in America.

Born less than two years apart, LeBron and Grant represent opposite poles on the spectrum of black male progress in this country. For the former, we have collectively watched his ascent from a high school phenom to a successful (albeit individually) career in the pros. Regardless of the implications of his choice to air “The Decision” in a one-hour special on ESPN, it is fascinating to think that a 25 year-old black man with no college education captivated the country for the weeks prior to his announcement.

Grant, conversely, embodies the collective fears of America’s racial subconscious, one that yearns for the promises of the civil rights era, yet forces black mothers to worry about the safety of their sons (and daughters) when “walking while black.” The trial further illustrates what my mentor, John Jackson, terms “racial paranoia,” where we are left to speculate—and in the case of Mehserle’s defense, establish reasonable doubt for—the racial nature of Oscar Grant’s death. Of course, we are yet to see a young, handcuffed white man shot execution style in a subway station. But in today’s world of post-racial fantasies, some have convinced themselves that the fate of Grant was not tied to his skin color.

Still, while the situations of James and Grant appear miles apart (about the distance from Oakland to South Beach perhaps?) both speak to a legacy of black male stereotypes perpetuated by media outlets and the popular imagination. So, when Rev. Jesse Jackson recently commented on Cavaliers’ owner Dan Gilbert’s widely circulated response to LeBron, citing the “slave master mentality” of individual control expressed by Gilbert, I was intrigued, if not fully in agreement. While, yes, it may have been more useful to address the verdict in the Grant trial, and it is difficult to imagine LeBron as a slave when he makes tens of millions a year (though sportswriter William Rhoden might disagree), the impressions of LeBron as a disloyal, arrogant athlete have troubling origins.

As I noted in a Facebook comment thread earlier this week, the slave metaphor was often invoked throughout the historical struggle for free agency in professional sports. Stemming from the efforts of Curt Flood—an outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals who played his best years in the 1960’s—the challenge of the reserve clause was tied to the rights of professional athletes as members of a lucrative industry that often benefitted white owners at the expense of minorities. Although I am yet to read it in its entirety, Brad Snyder’s A Well-Paid Slave appears to offer a strong introduction to Flood.

Flood’s efforts, which he paid for by being forced out of major league baseball, laid the groundwork for the spectacle of LeBron James as a free agent. As a free agent, LeBron was able to negotiate and enter a contract under terms of his liking. While some decry the end of an era when players remained loyal to a single team, it is important to note that athletes in bygone years were often forced to be “loyal” without the right to free agency. Still, amidst assertions of LeBron as arrogant and disloyal, this point, among others, has been too easily forgotten.

In my conversations about LeBron I have encountered a number of points of contention I would like to briefly address. First, LeBron was not employed by the Cavaliers at the time of his signing with Miami. As a free agent, LeBron was not obligated to inform his former team, or any other team for that matter, of his decision to leave for Miami. Also, if Gilbert’s reaction is any indication, LeBron likely knew better than to engage an emotionally unstable man who stood to lose millions of dollars upon his departure from Cleveland. No person or city owns LeBron. Second, LeBron sacrificed millions of dollars to sign with Miami, and donated the proceeds from his one-hour special to the Boys and Girls Club of America. While I consistently hear that “LeBron could’ve just donated the money himself,” this sentiment fails to acknowledge that the special drew upon an untapped revenue source to supplement his existing philanthropy. I, for one, value the potential to change the lives of our country’s young people above an individual’s status as a stand-up guy or a jerk. It appears that LeBron feels the same way.

Finally, I truly do sympathize with the city of Cleveland, who often turned to LeBron as a source of inspiration, especially in these tough economic times. But, please, let’s refocus our efforts from the basketball court to the plight of postindustrial northern cities, which minority populations have faced the brunt of for much of the past three decades. In other words, LeBron’s jump shot and a Cavs championship aren’t going to stop young brothers in Cleveland from becoming the next Oscar Grant.

What concerns me the most about the discussions surrounding LeBron, especially amidst the Oscar Grant proceedings, is the barrage of white and “better-educated” (black) commentators debating “what’s best” for LeBron. Grant was unceremoniously robbed of his ability to decide his future, while LeBron was privileged enough to do so as a 25 year-old reaching the pinnacle of his talent. Let’s not strip another black man of that freedom.

As a 20 year-old black American, I can only hope that my life more closely emulates LeBron than Oscar Grant. Still, even in my pursuit of an Ivy League degree, I am never guaranteed of escaping the latter. When we are so often denied the opportunity to decide our futures and protect our livelihood, I continue to support LeBron for choosing “to do what’s best for [him] and what’s gonna make [him] happy.” At least I can celebrate one brother’s happiness today.

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