Basketball - fair warning, political angle included

I'm a basketball fan. My brother and I watched Wilt pick up (at arm's length, no less) Richie Guerin and set him down out of the way to clear the lane for a teammate. I watched with a fan's passion the drama between the Warriors and the Cavaliers, and while I admired LeBron, I couldn't actually like him.
That's changed now. He, and others, have transcended the mere metaphor of courage. They have put something on the line. Not just money, they have enough. They have risked reputation, and, these days, physical safety. I'm impressed that they can so effectively squelch the put-down of the dumb athlete. Establishing voter centers is first-class citizenship.