▁from ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁NBA ▁Hall ▁of ▁F amer ▁K are em ▁Abd ul - J ab bar ▁he ▁states ▁" For ▁people ▁of ▁color , ▁professional ▁sports ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁a ▁mirror ▁of ▁America ’ s ▁attitude ▁toward ▁race : ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁black ▁players ▁were ▁restricted ▁from ▁taking ▁the ▁field , ▁then ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁black ▁Americans ▁would ▁never ▁truly ▁be ▁considered ▁equal , ▁meaning ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁given ▁equal ▁educational ▁or ▁employ ment ▁opportun ities ." ▁J ab bar ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁NBA ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁seasons ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁Equ ality ▁on ▁the ▁court ▁will ▁never ▁be ▁equal ▁but ▁it ▁has ▁vast ly ▁improved . ▁Race ▁disc rim ination ▁will ▁always ▁be ▁an ▁issue ▁for ▁the ▁NBA . ▁ ▁National ▁Football ▁League ▁▁ ▁Black ▁players ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Football ▁League ▁from ▁its ▁in ception ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 ; ▁however , ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁African - American ▁players ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁great ▁deal ▁of ▁spec ulation ▁as ▁to ▁why ▁this ▁“ gent le man ’ s ▁agreement ”, ▁as ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁called , ▁was ▁implemented ▁during ▁this ▁era . ▁Some ▁argue ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁purely ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁Job s ▁were ▁difficult ▁to ▁come ▁by , ▁and ▁thus ▁race ▁relations ▁became ▁increasing ly ▁stra ined ▁as ▁African - Amer icans , ▁and ▁other ▁minor ities , ▁became ▁perce