The decline of Black representation in baseball continues to set off heated conversations across sports. Former MLB manager Jerry Manuel recently dropped a bomb on the All The Smoke podcast. He pointed fingers at Michael Jordan’s NBA dominance for shifting athletic priorities away from America’s pastime.
Actor Dondré Whitfield, father of Bronny James’ girlfriend Parker Whitfield, amplified the conversation. His follow-up comment on the podcast clip hit hard. The three-time Emmy nominee didn’t hold back his frustration about young Black athletes choosing other sports.
Dondré Whitfield Reflects on Cultural Impact of Michael Jordan
Jordan’s impact on basketball has always been difficult to explain in words, but former MLB player, coach, and manager Manuel says Jordan also changed baseball’s culture. Speaking on Thursday’s All The Smoke podcast, Manuel said Jordan’s rise in basketball made tall, elite Black athletes choose basketball over baseball.
Manuel made a very straightforward take, saying, “The Black baseball player is damn near gone. The evolution of Michael Jordan changed the landscape in our culture. And you know it’s ironic that he went back to try to play baseball.”
The former Chicago White Sox and New York Mets skipper brought up MJ’s time into the conversation to break down the current cultural shift. That time tall athletes dominated baseball diamonds. But Jordan’s Airness changed everything, and basketball became the sport of choice for gifted 6’4″, 6’6″, and 6’7″ athletes.
Then Bronny’s girlfriend’s father agreed with Manuel’s analysis of that podcast clip in the comments. “Golf and THEN baseball. Smh. Damn shame. We’re missing a whole generation of baseball stars,” he wrote.
The actor can feel the change better, as his daughter Parker is now romantically connected to LeBron James’s son. He and his wife, actress Salli Richardson-Whitfield, have embraced the kids’ relationship.
Baseball was once a pillar in Black communities, introducing people to stars like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Ozzie Smith. Now it ranks very much behind basketball, football, and even soccer for young Black athletes.
The MLB knows they need a serious change to be alive in the race, so they’ve launched academies in the Southeast and expanded their Breakthrough Series development camps.
Jordan Trading Card Market Remains Red-Hot
A 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection dual logo man card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for $3,172,000 through Heritage Auctions on Friday. The one-of-one trading card received a PSA grade of six.
The sale marks the seventh most expensive basketball card ever. It trails the record-breaking $12.9 million paid for a signed Jordan-Bryant dual logo man card in August 2024.
So, as Manuel suggests, the NBA legend not only brings cultural shifts in the sport, but also his merch and memorabilia continue to dominate the vintage market. His influence now extends into financial territory that’s bigger than basketball itself.
