We at the Color of Hockey are dedicated to chronicling what it’s like for minority players in a majority-white sport.

But what about the flip side? What’s it like to be a white athlete in a sport dominated by minority players?

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ESPN’s The Undefeated, a platform dedicated to the intersection of race and sports, explores the question in a wonderful read by Marc J. Spears on the paucity of American-born white players in the National Basketball Association.

White American NBA players appear to be going the way of the water buffalo. The bulk of the league’s Caucasian talent hail from European countries – think Dirk Nowitzki or Dario Saric.

There used to be lots of white American NBA stars – Larry Bird, “Pistol” Pete Maravich, John Havlicek, Bill Walton, Jerry West, “Thunder” Dan Majerle, Kevin McHale. Today, not so much.

Anyway, take the time and give The Undefeated article a read. Then come back to hockey.