"No, in this case, race is the point" - Skip Bayless clarifies his American white centers draft take to ESPN PR
Skip Bayless recalled how he upset his superiors at ESPN after expressing his views on white centers during the 2012 NBA draft. He recounted how his statement claiming American big men chosen in the lottery often fell short of expectations ruffled some feathers among the ESPN top brass.
In an episode of “The Skip Bayless Show” released on Wednesday, the 72-year-old reflected on how his skepticism towards Meyers Leonard, who was selected 11th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 draft, led to a call from ESPN's PR department. Bayless worked at ESPN from 2004 to 2016.
“On ‘First Take,’ I said, ‘No way.’ I’d seen enough of Meyers Leonard in college basketball, and I said on TV that I’m always a little leery of American centers going in the Lottery — American white centers going in the lottery,” Bayless said.
Skip Bayless went on to mention that the call from ESPN PR addressed his comments about race, even though he contended that race was indeed a relevant factor.
“The PR woman was very upset with me,” Bayless said, “and she asked, ‘Why did you have to bring up race?’ And I explained how, over the previous 20-or-so years, white American centers had been bad Lottery picks; I gave her the facts. She said, ‘Well, you could’ve made that point without bringing up race.’”
“I said, ‘No, in this case, race is the point."
Ultimately, Bayless’s assessment of Leonard proved correct, as the player had a decade-long NBA career with underwhelming averages of 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
He further insisted that his comments were not racist since he is also white, humorously referring to it as “white-on-white crime.”
“And after all, I am white, so it wasn’t like I was a white commentator ripping Black American centers,” he said. “Nope. This was, so to speak, ‘white-on-white crime.’”
Skip Bayless says Chet Holmgren changed his perspective on white centers
In the same episode, Skip Bayless said one player has changed his view regarding white centers: Chet Holmgren. Selected No. 2 in the 2022 NBA draft by the OKC Thunder, Holmgren has emerged as one of the top shot blockers in the league.
“Chet Holmgren is shattering the mold of the white stiff,” Bayless said.
Before tonight’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, where he tallied six points and five blocks in just 18 minutes of play during the Thunder's blowout victory, Holmgren began the season averaging 22.5 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.
He has been a cornerstone of the OKC defense, which ranks at the top of the league, with all their wins thus far coming by double-digit margins.