THE BOOK OF JAMES

A study of basketball great LeBron James as an exemplar of unapologetic Blackness.

Some NBA players, such as Patrick Ewing, have been worn to the bone by fan racism; others, such as Michael Jordan, have tried to place themselves above questions of race entirely, adopting a “non-Black Blackness.” According to African American studies scholar Babb’s account, James has positioned himself as a “race man,” intent on self-expression while disproving racist tropes. It helps that he is phenomenally wealthy—though that fact does little to calm white racial resentments. “Rather than using celebrity to transcend Blackness, he uses it to give Blackness a place of prominence in American narrative-making,” writes Babb, “leaving a cultural record of how much Blackness is loved, hated, misunderstood, and just plain cool in an America that has changed and yet not changed.” However, no matter what good James does with his celebrity and wealth—e.g., funding competitive public schools, building homes for needy families—the fact remains that Black culture is valued more than Black lives in too many quarters. Babb capably traces narratives that have been employed for and against James, one the almost trite story of a poor young Black child being raised by a single mother and elevating himself out of poverty through sheer talent—which also serves to “reinforce the notion that sexual deviance, broken families, and failed communities are typical of Black life.” In the case of basketball, Babb shows, poverty, broken homes, and all the rest are actually outliers in the NBA: James’ story is atypical, bent to reinforce racist assumptions for whatever reason. James defies that description, and Babb emphasizes his accomplishments both on and off the court, closing with one of his mantras: “Celebrate Black excellence every single day.”

A provocative, illuminating blend of social criticism, cultural history, and athletics.