The statements about Iverson sum up the image of blackness today. Iverson's career choices on and off of the court are solely his. He is the only person to blame for his flawed persona. With the help of the Hip-Hop movement, blackness has emerged as a means for black society to show that it no longer values the ideals of being black during the civil rights movement and during the times of the desegregation of baseball, where being black meant having a sense of pride about who you are, not about how black and "iced out" you are. .

             With this said about modern blackness, it is necessary to look at the polar opposite of characters such as Iverson. When one's black identity is completely lost, a colorless product of the almighty dollar is formed. Epitomizing this scenario is the greatest basketball player ever.or at least on the court. Michael Jordan, regardless of his "sellout" nature, is the largest role model in modern sports. Not since Babe Ruth have children and adults alike been so empowered by the strict on-court performance and commercial value of an athlete. For all practical purposes, there a few obvious reasons for Michael Jordan's success as a persuasive communicator to the public, black, white, and Hispanic, alike. He was, after all, the hottest player in the NBA -- his is name mentioned in the same breath with basketball greats such as Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Irving, and Magic Johnson. With a 6'6" frame -- about an inch shorter than the average NBA player--he soars up, around, and above his opponents, always with his universally recognized tongue hanging out. Whenever he graces the courts, he astounds audiences with his mid-air mastery. We are all familiar with many of his successes and each of them serves as at least one elemental persuader. During his college career, Jordan was twice chosen College Player of the Year and was a unanimous All-American. He was the leading scorer on the American team that won the gold medal at the Pan American games in 1983, and co-captain of the team that captured the Olympic gold in 1984.