Raptors Rapture
Fansided

Toronto Raptors: A model NBA franchise in racial equality

By Jason Mills

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 11: Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors reacts with Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 11: Nick Nurse of the Toronto Raptors reacts with Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors during the first quarter in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on September 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next

The hiring of African Americans as head-coaches

Toronto Raptors
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 25: Head coach Dwane Casey (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

The Toronto Raptors have been entertaining basketball fans since their inception in 1995. In those 25 years, nine men have coached the franchise, including current head-coach Nick Nurse, and five of the nine have been African Americans. In other words, 55 percent of the time, the Raptors have hired an African American when they need to fill that job.

Further, it’s not as if it hurts a franchise either. Sam Mitchell and Dwane Casey have won coach of the year awards while employed with the Toronto Raptors. Along with Butch Carter and Lenny Wilkins, they have led the Toronto Raptors into the NBA playoffs.

This year, including a mid-season coaching change by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NBA had/has 10 openings for head-coach.  There are two franchises, the OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets, which have yet to fill their openings, and three of the other eight teams have hired an African American as head-coach.

This means 37.5 percent of the head-coach openings so far this off-season has been filled with African Americans. With the racial tension this year, there is a focus on this perceived lack of hirings. It becomes more concerning when the NBA employs 403 black players out of its total of 497.

The argument is about representation. Many assistant and head-coaches were former players. However, out of 30 NBA Franchises, there are currently only five head-coaches that represent the player population. The goal is equality, and as newly crowned Philadelphia 76ers head-coach, Doc Rivers, stated in an interview this summer:

“It’s really so sad. I should be just a coach.”

He’s right; his race’s color descriptor should not be required just that he is a basketball coach. The NBA could do better just as the Toronto Raptors have shown it can be done.

Home/Raptors News