, ▁they ▁also ▁all ▁have ▁partial ▁gen etic ▁her itage ▁from ▁Europe ▁and ▁Native ▁America , ▁they ▁have ▁also ▁all ▁trained ▁outside ▁of ▁West ▁Africa , ▁and ▁West ▁African ▁nations ▁have ▁not ▁trained ▁any ▁top - level ▁run ners . ▁Gra ves ▁says ▁these ▁factors ▁make ▁it ▁impossible ▁to ▁say ▁to ▁which ▁degree ▁the ▁success ▁is ▁best ▁attributed ▁to ▁gen etic ▁or ▁to ▁environmental ▁factors . ▁ ▁View s ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁ ▁Vari ous ▁individuals , ▁including ▁sch ol ars ▁and ▁sport sw rit ers , ▁have ▁commented ▁on ▁the ▁apparent ▁over re present ations ▁and ▁under re present ations ▁of ▁different ▁races ▁in ▁different ▁sports . ▁African ▁Americans ▁account ed ▁for ▁ 7 5 % ▁of ▁players ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Basketball ▁Association ▁( N BA ) ▁near ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁latest ▁National ▁Cons ort ium ▁for ▁Academ ics ▁and ▁Sports ▁equality ▁report ▁card , ▁ 6 5 % ▁of ▁National ▁Football ▁League ▁players ▁were ▁African ▁Americans . ▁However , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁about ▁ 8 . 5 % ▁of ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁players ▁were ▁African ▁American ▁( who ▁make ▁up ▁about ▁ 1 3 % ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁population , ▁ 6 . 5 % ▁male , ▁no ▁women ▁play ▁in ▁ML B ), ▁and ▁ 2 9 . 1 % ▁were ▁His pan ics ▁of ▁any ▁race ▁( comp ared ▁with ▁about ▁ 1 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁population ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 1