▁States , ▁where ▁the ▁two ▁subjects ▁have ▁always ▁been ▁inter tw ined ▁in ▁American ▁history , ▁have ▁focused ▁to ▁a ▁great ▁extent ▁on ▁African ▁Americans . ▁Depending ▁on ▁the ▁type ▁of ▁sport ▁and ▁performance ▁level , ▁African ▁Americans ▁are ▁reported ▁to ▁be ▁over - ▁or ▁under - re present ed . ▁African ▁Americans ▁compose ▁the ▁highest ▁percentage ▁of ▁the ▁minor ity ▁groups ▁active ▁at ▁the ▁professional ▁level , ▁but ▁are ▁among ▁those ▁who ▁show ▁the ▁lowest ▁participation ▁overall . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁while ▁ 2 . 8 % ▁of ▁full - time ▁degree - p urs uing ▁under grad u ates ▁were ▁black ▁men , ▁the ▁group ▁compr ised ▁ 5 7 % ▁of ▁college ▁football ▁teams , ▁and ▁ 6 4 % ▁of ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁players . ▁While ▁black s ▁pre dom inate ▁in ▁football ▁and ▁basketball , ▁whites ▁pre dom inate ▁in ▁all ▁other ▁reg ulated ▁sports . ▁ ▁A ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁study ▁indicated ▁that ▁black ▁high ▁school ▁students ▁play ▁harder ▁than ▁white ▁students , ▁because ▁the ▁former ▁were ▁more ▁likely ▁to ▁perce ive ▁sports ▁as ▁a ▁ven ue ▁to ▁success . ▁The ▁study ▁den ies ▁that ▁ra cial ▁characteristics , ▁per ▁se , ▁is ▁a ▁factor ▁in ▁success ▁in ▁sports . ▁ ▁For ▁all ▁races ▁and ▁sports , ▁from ▁ 3 . 3 % ▁( b asketball ) ▁to ▁ 1 1 . 3 % ▁( ice ▁hockey ) ▁are ▁successful ▁in ▁making ▁the ▁transition ▁from ▁high ▁school ▁vars ity