All-White Basketball League in the Works

The headline in Tuesday's Augusta Chronicle certainly gets your attention: "Basketball League for White Americans Targets Augusta." But the town best known for the Masters, which was a whites-only event until Lee Elder became the first African-American to tee it up in 1975, is balking at the idea of a whites-only basketball team.

Something called the All-American Basketball Alliance announced over the weekend that it plans to start its inaugural season in June and hopes Augusta is one of 12 cities to host a team. With the one stipulation, of course: "Only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race are eligible to play in the league," the statement reads in part.

August Mayor Deke Copenhaver, who according to the Chronicle has previously expressed support for minor league teams, won't be doing so this time.

"As a sports enthusiast, I have always supported bringing more sporting activities to Augusta," he said. "However, in this instance I could not support in good conscience bringing in a team that did not fit with the spirit of inclusiveness that I, along with many others, have worked so hard to foster in our city."

But wait -- before you assume that this is blatant racism, AABA commissioner Don "Moose" Lewis wants you to know that it's not that sinister. Nope. It has to do with removing the And 1 element from the game.

"There's nothing hatred about what we're doing," he said. "I don't hate anyone of color. But people of white, American-born citizens are in the minority now. Here's a league for white players to play fundamental basketball, which they like."

Lewis said he wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of "street-ball" played by "people of color."

Right. Like, say, The Professor (but he can shoot 3s!).

I would love to hear Lewis' pitch to potential investors. "I want to create a league the emphasizes bounce passes, the weave, set shots, peach baskets ... anything that stifles creativity."

No idea how this doesn't work.

via Out of Bounds