▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁sport ' s ▁color ▁bar rier ▁was ▁broken ▁by ▁an ▁Asian ▁American ▁ath lete ▁back ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁named ▁Wat aru ▁Mis aka ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁ra cial ▁minor ity ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁NBA . ▁ ▁In ▁American ▁sports , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁higher ▁representation ▁of ▁Asian ▁American ▁athlet es ▁who ▁are ▁of ▁mixed ▁ra cial ▁her itage ▁in ▁comparison ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁full ▁ra cial ▁her itage ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁case ▁with ▁former ▁football ▁player ▁Roman ▁Gabriel ▁who ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Asian - American ▁to ▁start ▁as ▁an ▁NFL ▁quarter back . ▁Another ▁fact ▁to ▁note ▁is ▁that ▁majority ▁of ▁Asian ▁American ▁athlet es ▁who ▁are ▁currently ▁draft ed / rec ru ited ▁to ▁comp ete ▁profession ally ▁tend ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁sports ▁that ▁require ▁little ▁to ▁no ▁contact . ▁ ▁Chinese ▁views ▁ ▁The ▁idea ▁among ▁Chinese ▁people ▁that ▁" gen etic ▁differences " ▁cause ▁" As ian ▁athlet es " ▁to ▁be ▁" s lower ▁at ▁s print ing " ▁than ▁" the ir ▁American , ▁African ▁or ▁European ▁riv als " ▁is ▁" wid ely ▁accepted ". ▁The ▁People ' s ▁Daily , ▁a ▁Chinese ▁newspaper , ▁wrote ▁that ▁Chinese ▁are ▁" su ited " ▁to ▁sports ▁that ▁draw ▁upon ▁" ag ility ▁and ▁technique ", ▁such ▁as ▁table ▁tennis , ▁bad m inton ▁and ▁g ymn ast ics . ▁The ▁newspaper ▁said ▁that ▁Chinese ▁people ▁have ▁" con gen ital ▁short com ings " ▁and ▁" gen etic