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From Kings.com: http://www.nba.com/kings/features/through_the_eyes_of_john_salmons.html
2/15/2007
Life wasn’t easy for John Salmons growing up in Philadelphia. In a house with just his mom, he never asked for much, but he happily recalls getting the one gift a year that mattered, a new pair of Air Jordan’s. Somehow, someway, Salmons and his mother always made ends meet.
Salmons grew up across the street from a basketball court, so it is fitting that it would be the means to his success. Now Salmons doesn’t have to wait for his annual pair of Jordan’s, he has a deal with adidas and gets more than enough pairs of shoes to last him all year.
Like many in the NBA, Salmons is celebrating his heritage with other African Americans this month, as February is Black History month.
If you aren’t African American, the fact that it’s Black History Month may come as a surprise. Salmons himself sees very little publicity during a month that he feels is very important to embrace.
“It means a lot,” Salmons said of the month long celebration. “I really don’t think as a whole we celebrate it enough. We should see something on TV (during February) or somewhere in the media about Black History Month everyday. You can go a couple weeks and not even realize its Black History Month.
“We just have to continue to strive,” Salmons said, noting that positive elements of Black History have been brought to light recently. “It was Martin Luther King’s birthday last month, and there also were two black coaches in the Super Bowl.”
The goal of Black History Month is to celebrate accomplishments of African Americans by recognizing the significant contributions to society made by people of African decent.
“It’s good to be where we are now,” Salmons said reflecting on how much progress the United States has made on racial equality. “But we have to continue to get better.
“One thing we have to get away from is the stereotype of entertainers and athletes,” Salmons said, in reference to what the general public perceives when they think of a successful African American. “We have to make people realize that there are black businessmen, entrepreneurs, doctors and lawyers. But the stereotype is always entertainers and athletes and we have to get away from that.
“There’s nothing wrong with being an entertainer or athlete,” Salmons said. “But, we are so much more than that.”
In pop culture, rap has dominated the voice and the way that people portray African Americans. Salmons understands, but also said it is something that doesn’t give them enough credit.
“I think it pigeonholes us,” Salmons said of the way he perceives African Americans being portrayed in rap music. “That’s what everyone thinks of when they think of African American. So we have to try and put that in the public eye. We have a lot of smart entrepreneurs out there and businessmen and doctors and lawyers.”
Speaking of pigeonholes, when the NBA issued its new dress code, which eliminated the wearing of—among other things—flashy jewelry, Salmons was frustrated by the message he thought it sent; that jewelry wearing athletes were being overly flamboyant and braggadocios.
“You have to remember,” Salmons said. “A lot of athletes grew up poor. For black people it’s a symbol of showing that they made it out of the ghetto.”
The fact that players aren’t allowed to wear ostentatious jewelry to games is beside the point. Salmons himself wouldn’t bother to wear the jewelry anymore. After the initial joy of having some extra cash and wearing the pride on their neck, Salmons said players are interested in saving for the long term.
“I used to have the big chains,” Salmons said with a smile. “But I have grown out of that stage; I don’t really wear that stuff anymore. Now athletes are more in tune with spending their money the right way, trying to invest and save for the future.”
America continues to develop as a nation of equality and Salmons can see that there is a growing number of successful black people for the youth to look up to that aren’t of Salmons’ or Hip-Hop’s ilk.
Salmons understands the importance of young people of any race having role models. And as he stated, he too has people he looks up to. “It just depends on the person,” Salmons said. “For me, it’s more (U.S. Senator Barack) Obama than someone like Jay-Z. Although I grew up listening to rap, I am gradually growing out of that phase. I’m more on the suit and tie scene than I am into the hip-hop scene. So, people like Obama are definitely influences in my life.”
Salmons recognizes that reaching one’s goals isn’t as easy as it looks, especially when not blessed with opportunity. But he can now preach what he practiced when times were tough: Never give up.
“Growing up there’s a lot of obstacles. In the hood, there’s not a lot of opportunity to reach your dreams, so you have to continue to strive. It’s not easy.”
Dreaming and striving are two principles that have helped bring equality closer to reality in America today. And, it’s what allowed Salmons to reach his goal of playing in the NBA.
“I think the biggest thing you can preach to kids is ‘don’t quit’ and you just have to ‘believe’,” Salmons said. “Believe that you are better than your situation."
Black History Month:
Through the Eyes of John Salmons
written by Andrew NicholsonThrough the Eyes of John Salmons
2/15/2007
Life wasn’t easy for John Salmons growing up in Philadelphia. In a house with just his mom, he never asked for much, but he happily recalls getting the one gift a year that mattered, a new pair of Air Jordan’s. Somehow, someway, Salmons and his mother always made ends meet.
Salmons grew up across the street from a basketball court, so it is fitting that it would be the means to his success. Now Salmons doesn’t have to wait for his annual pair of Jordan’s, he has a deal with adidas and gets more than enough pairs of shoes to last him all year.
Like many in the NBA, Salmons is celebrating his heritage with other African Americans this month, as February is Black History month.
If you aren’t African American, the fact that it’s Black History Month may come as a surprise. Salmons himself sees very little publicity during a month that he feels is very important to embrace.
“It means a lot,” Salmons said of the month long celebration. “I really don’t think as a whole we celebrate it enough. We should see something on TV (during February) or somewhere in the media about Black History Month everyday. You can go a couple weeks and not even realize its Black History Month.
“We just have to continue to strive,” Salmons said, noting that positive elements of Black History have been brought to light recently. “It was Martin Luther King’s birthday last month, and there also were two black coaches in the Super Bowl.”
The goal of Black History Month is to celebrate accomplishments of African Americans by recognizing the significant contributions to society made by people of African decent.
“It’s good to be where we are now,” Salmons said reflecting on how much progress the United States has made on racial equality. “But we have to continue to get better.
“One thing we have to get away from is the stereotype of entertainers and athletes,” Salmons said, in reference to what the general public perceives when they think of a successful African American. “We have to make people realize that there are black businessmen, entrepreneurs, doctors and lawyers. But the stereotype is always entertainers and athletes and we have to get away from that.
“There’s nothing wrong with being an entertainer or athlete,” Salmons said. “But, we are so much more than that.”
In pop culture, rap has dominated the voice and the way that people portray African Americans. Salmons understands, but also said it is something that doesn’t give them enough credit.
“I think it pigeonholes us,” Salmons said of the way he perceives African Americans being portrayed in rap music. “That’s what everyone thinks of when they think of African American. So we have to try and put that in the public eye. We have a lot of smart entrepreneurs out there and businessmen and doctors and lawyers.”
Speaking of pigeonholes, when the NBA issued its new dress code, which eliminated the wearing of—among other things—flashy jewelry, Salmons was frustrated by the message he thought it sent; that jewelry wearing athletes were being overly flamboyant and braggadocios.
“You have to remember,” Salmons said. “A lot of athletes grew up poor. For black people it’s a symbol of showing that they made it out of the ghetto.”
The fact that players aren’t allowed to wear ostentatious jewelry to games is beside the point. Salmons himself wouldn’t bother to wear the jewelry anymore. After the initial joy of having some extra cash and wearing the pride on their neck, Salmons said players are interested in saving for the long term.
“I used to have the big chains,” Salmons said with a smile. “But I have grown out of that stage; I don’t really wear that stuff anymore. Now athletes are more in tune with spending their money the right way, trying to invest and save for the future.”
America continues to develop as a nation of equality and Salmons can see that there is a growing number of successful black people for the youth to look up to that aren’t of Salmons’ or Hip-Hop’s ilk.
Salmons understands the importance of young people of any race having role models. And as he stated, he too has people he looks up to. “It just depends on the person,” Salmons said. “For me, it’s more (U.S. Senator Barack) Obama than someone like Jay-Z. Although I grew up listening to rap, I am gradually growing out of that phase. I’m more on the suit and tie scene than I am into the hip-hop scene. So, people like Obama are definitely influences in my life.”
Salmons recognizes that reaching one’s goals isn’t as easy as it looks, especially when not blessed with opportunity. But he can now preach what he practiced when times were tough: Never give up.
“Growing up there’s a lot of obstacles. In the hood, there’s not a lot of opportunity to reach your dreams, so you have to continue to strive. It’s not easy.”
Dreaming and striving are two principles that have helped bring equality closer to reality in America today. And, it’s what allowed Salmons to reach his goal of playing in the NBA.
“I think the biggest thing you can preach to kids is ‘don’t quit’ and you just have to ‘believe’,” Salmons said. “Believe that you are better than your situation."
