Jordan, famously, gave a wide berth to politics, as he steadfastly focused on his devotion to the game. As USC professor and author Todd Boyd observes regarding Jordan's career in "Blackballed," "He chooses neutrality in the interest of advancing his brand."Stars like Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird marked the NBA's ascent as a marketing and commercial dynamo. But "Blackballed" highlights a moment when the league — as an organization timid on issues of race and social justice — took a stand.Premiering on Quibi, "Blackballed" documents racist comments by Sterling that were recorded and leaked, and the way those remarks echoed through the league.Sterling had a long history of questionable behavior before the story exploded during the 2014 NBA Playoffs, as his franchise — long a laughingstock — mounted a potential championship run. Former general manager Elgin Baylor had accused Sterling of a "plantation mentality" in a lawsuit, and there had been allegations that he discriminated against African Americans at his rental properties.Even that, however, didn't prepare Clippers coach Doc Rivers and his team for Sterling's recorded comments, throwing a spotlight on how they would respond. The team's public display was accompanied by criticism from other NBA stars, including LeBron James. (James later offered his own docu-series about the history of athletes' activism, "Shut Up and Dribble.")Several team members recall how the situation unfolded, among them Rivers and players Chris Paul, DeAndre Jordan and JJ Redick. Director Michael Jacobs also incorporates footage of Sterling showing off players like possessions at elaborate parties, recounting stories of the owner bringing guests into the locker room to look them over.The film captures the challenge that the controversy posed for new NBA commissioner Adam Silver, after predecessor David Stern had carefully endeavored to market a product featuring predominately black talent to a majority white audience.Silver — who works for the owners — took the unprecedented step of banning Sterling for life, saying in an interview that his guiding light was to "ensure that this institution responded in an appropriate manner."Others interviewed include Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who describes a bizarre phone call with Sterling; Disney chairman Bob Iger, who advised Silver to do the right thing; and New York Times critic-at-large Wesley Morris, who noRead More – Source
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