Throughout the history of the NBA and NCAA, theone, there has been an effort to Whiten basketball.
In 1967, because of the dominance of Lew Alcindor in the collegiate game, the NCAA created what was called by many the "Lew Alcindor rule," which banned dunking. It was not rescinded until 1976.
Also, the NBA widened the lane (the paint) because of the success of Wilt Chamberlain. It went from 12-16 feet. The theory was that it would keep Chamberlain farther away from the basket.
His success near the basket led to the widening of the lane, offensive goaltending rules, and the banning of inbound passes over the backboard.
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Kevin Durant(photo below) expressed frustration regarding narratives that criticize American basketball (AAU) while praising European development, interpreting this as a subtle attack on Black American control of the sport. Stephen A. Smith supported this view, claiming the NBA's globalization strategy aims to "whiten" the league's image by favoring white, international, or American players.
Durant's argument pushed back against the narrative that "Euros do it right" while Americans do it wrong, suggesting it is a dig at Black American dominance in the sport.
