Todd Boyd and Kenneth L. Shropshire

Basketball is a mirror for American culture, assert Todd Boyd and Kenneth L. Shropshire in the following selection. For example, while the rivalry of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the 1980s reflected America's continuing racial tensions, Michael Jordan's fame and prominence in the media in the 1990s seemed to transcend race. The rise of the Women's National Basketball Association in the 1990s and the negative images surrounding many NBA players may indicate that gender and class issues have become more pressing issues for Americans. Whatever pro basketball symbolizes, the United States' decision in 1992 to allow "Dream Teams" of NBA players to compete in the Olympics has assured that, at least on the world stage, basketball is the sport that represents America. Todd Boyd is a professor of critical studies at the University of...