In the late 1990’s, a popular mainstream media publication featured a very distasteful report that showed a collection of players (with the majority of the players being Black) in the NBA at that time who were being bombarded with paternity suits at the time. Of course, this particular article only helped reinforce negative stereotypes and imply that Melanoid men are incapable of being stand-up fathers to their children.Over a decade and-a-half later, a similar white media attack has loomed over the Melanoid men of the NBA who assume dual roles as athletes and responsible fathers.

Brian Windhorst, an ESPN reporter who’s also known for his extensive coverage of NBA superstar LeBron James, was on hand in Oakland, Calif  last night to interview recently-crowned NBA MVP Stephen Curry for a postgame press conference. Mr. Curry’s small daughter, Riley, was in attendance with him as he answered the standard monotonous barrage of questions required by every player to answer after games. Check out Stephen Curry’s daughter, Riley at the press conference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLCMIBrSYZc

Riley, being the small child that she is, became slightly playful and restless during the interview, and apparently, her innocent gestures during the press conference offended Windhorst, who took to Twitter by proclaiming his distaste for Curry’s daughter’s presence at the press conference table. He further elaborated upon his frustration by stating that all children should be banned from press conferences. Windhorst wasn’t alone in voicing his displeasure. The following Tweets show that his ESPN colleague, Ramona Shelbourne, felt the same way.

@joybenedict @WindhorstESPN Brian is right. It's unprofessional … But they are soooo damn cute no one has the guts to say anything

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) May 20, 2015

In this article, several Twitter users sided with Brian Windhorst, providing nitpicking commentary on how the players bringing their children to press conferences should be banned. Curry, who honored his father (former NBA player Dell) during his MVP award acceptance speech, did what many of us do not get an opportunity to witness often: A young Black professional athlete paying homage to his father, who played an active and supportive role in the athlete’s upbringing.

The NBA, which is apporximately 80 percent Black, and its players who are fathers who are easy targets as it pertains to this silly demand form Brian Windhorst. The majority of the children who sit with their fathers during press conferences are relatively quiet, and Riley Curry was an innocent exception. The objective of this story is that many of these white media figures take issue with these young Black men openly showing love and support for their children, which goes against their white supremacist written narratives about Black dysfunctional fatherhood. Not only does this apply to Black NBA players, but Black fathers in general.

by B. Clark