Asian American Basketball & More

It was kind of funny how today I received two separate emails from my basketball buddies in regards to Asian American Basketball. Brian Yang from the New York Dreamleague Organization kindly asked me to spread the word about an upcoming special screening on a documentary about the first Asian American basketball player to ever make it to the NBA. The screening will take place on February 15th from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Aratani/Japan America Theatre located in Downtown Los Angeles. Further details can be found at http://www.experiencela.com/Calendar/eventmore.asp?key=20673. Here’s the synopsis taken directly from the website (http://www.watmisaka.com):

TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY is a documentary film about Wat Misaka, the first Asian American pro basketball player. A Nissei who was born, raised and is still living in Utah, he was the very first draft pick of the New York Knicks, in 1947. Overcoming the national political climate during World War II, Wat was a star player for the University of Utah 1944 and 1947 championship teams, taking 2 years off in between to serve in the U.S. Army. His perseverance and loyalty to his teammates, other Nissei friends (including those interned at Topaz) and his family are a testament to the unflappable Japanese American spirit.

This film includes in depth interviews with Wat and his family, teammates from his championship teams (including All-American star Arnie Ferrin of the Minneapolis Lakers) sports authorities (including Knicks Historian Dennis D’Agostino and ubiquitous New York sportscaster Spencer Ross), and many who continue to look up to him as both a role model and personal hero. The film also has video clips from his 1944 and 1947 college games, rare footage from a visit to the Topaz Internment Camp, and countless photos of his triumphant career.

Directed by award winning filmmakers Bruce Alan Johnson and Christine Toy Johnson, this project was awarded two consecutive grants from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. Plans are in motion to have screenings and accompanying panel discussions on exclusion at universities across the country.

Check out the trailer at http://www.watmisaka.com/index.html and if you’re interested and want to help support Asian American basketball, go to the screening on February 15th. Take your girlfriend along and have a post Valentine date at the movies (well sort of).

In the second email, I received an interesting and good article about Asian American basketball and society’s view on it. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think?

Article taken directly from the SFGate, home of the San Francisco Chronicles: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/12/16/SPD213J9RD.DTL.