Kevin Hart, Cedric The Entertainer Declare Nikola Jokic's Success 'Not Good' For NBA 'At This Moment'
Comedian Kevin Hart and Cedric the Entertainer appeared on ESPN last week to warn against voting Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokić as the NBA's most valuable player.
"They cannot give the Joker any more MVPs," Hart said. "It’s not good for the NBA."
Cedric the Entertainer agreed, nodding along that Jokić's success is a net negative.
"The league MVP, I feel like you’re right, they can’t really [give it to Jokić] at this moment," Cedric added, before campaigning for Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] to win the award.
Why did Hart and Cedric feel the way they feel about Jokić? Why is Jokić, who was objectively the best player in the NBA again this season, winning the MVP a "problem" for the NBA?
Unfortunately, neither celebrity explained their position. They did not specify why they actively root against Nikola Jokić.
But it's not difficult to understand why.
Jason Whitlock of The Blaze referred to Hart and Cedric's animus toward Jokic as "the Caitlin Clark treatment."
"This is how the DEI mind virus affects everybody," commented Whitlock earlier this week on his video show "Fearless." He added, "They think, ‘Oh, we’ve got to color coordinate who the MVP is. A white guy can’t win it three out of four years.’"
Of course, Hart and Cedric feel that way. They are not alone in how they feel about superstar white players.
Kendrick Perkins, Gilbert Arenas, Bomani Jones, the ESPN race website Andscape, USA Today, Draymond Green, and Stephen A. Smith have also expressed subtle or not-so-subtle animosity toward the succession of Jokić.
Related: NBA Won't Comment on Kendrick Perkins Compromising MVP Voting Process Again To Spite Jokic
Basketball is a historically black-dominated sport. Thus, there is a sense of insecurity among territorial black celebrities and media members now that the best player in the NBA (Jokić) and arguably the most transcendent female basketball player (Clark) of all-time are both white.
Not to mention, white Euro Luka Dončić is seen as the greatest threat to Jokic's reign. His stats are 2K-level bonkers.
The White Basketball Phenomenon, if you will, is similar to how black quarterbacks now rank among the best in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes, who is bi-racial, is the best quarterback in the NFL. Lamar Jackson won his second NFL MVP last season. Caleb Williams is widely expected to be the first player drafted next week.
The rise of white hoopers and black quarterbacks are both departures from the historical norms, for whatever reason. However, one of those trends is considered progress. The other, according to the likes of Kevin Hart, is "not good."
Make it make sense. It's not hard.
The loudest advocates of diversity do not truly yearn for diversity in professional sports. If they did, they wouldn't be so angered by the dominance of Nikola Jokić.