Interview with Dashanique Duley, Social change in basketball. Conducted by Roy’Marr Thomas March 11th, 2025.
Biography:
Dashanique Duley grew up watching and playing basketball for majority of her life. Dashanique was born on July 17th,2000 in Tampa, FL. Dashanique played in a youth girls league when she was young. She eventually played High School Basketball she attended Blake HS and had a good career there. Eventually she went on to college at FAMU. She decided to pursue her career in the medical field. Now she still lives back Tampa and has a job as a Nurse.
Research:
I’ve decided to research articles on how basketball played a part in social change in the world. The articles I researched talked about the history of basketball , key figures who shaped basketball and current trends pushing basketball forward. I wanted to show how its been contributing to basketball for multiple decades now.
https://connorcroll.medium.com/exploring-the-global-impact-of-basketball-its-influence-on-culture-and-society-7e011fafb3ef
In my first source for Exploring the Global Impact of Basketball: Its Influence on Culture and Society. It got into detail about how the history of basketball was back in 1891. A Canadian physical education professor named Dr. James Naismith invented basketball to keep his students engaged during the winter. However, he didn’t know that his simple indoor game would take the world by storm. Basketball spread quickly, finding a home in YMCAs across the United States, and soon gained popularity on a global scale. Today, hundreds of millions of people passionately follow the game, whether cheering for their favorite teams in arenas or playing casually with friends.
My second source is Key People Who Shaped Basketball. It got into detail about how Throughout its history, basketball has been shaped by iconic figures who transcended the sport and became household names. Dr. James Naismith, the game inventor, laid the foundation for what basketball would become. Legends like Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James have not only achieved greatness on the court but also left a legacy that continues to inspire future generations. Their larger-than-life personalities and unmatched talent have played a significant role in elevating basketball into a global phenomenon.
My last source talks about Basketball as a Force for Positive Change. It got into detail about how Besides all the entertainment, basketball serves as a powerful catalyst for positive change in society. Its core values of teamwork, camaraderie, and healthy competition make it an ideal tool to bridge social gaps and promote inclusion. Programs like the NBA’s Basketball without Borders work with children globally, promoting unity and sportsmanship. In urban communities, basketball acts as a safe outlet for kids, offering opportunities for personal growth and development. This beloved game continues to be a rallying point for people worldwide, showcasing the transformative power of sports. Basketballs impact on culture and society is undeniable. From its historical roots to the present-day trends, basketball continues to evolve and captivate audiences around the world. It brings communities together, transcending barriers, and inspiring positive change. As we celebrate the game’s influence, let us recognize basketball’s unifying force, as it truly proves that it is much more than just a game.
Transcription:
Roy’Marr:
How are you doing
Dashanique:
I’m doing good and yourself?
RoyMarr:
Thank you for taking time out of your day to help me with this interview.
Dashanique:
No problem.
RoyMarr:
How has basketball had an impact on your life?
Dashanique:
Well, basketball has had a tremendous impact on my life personally. I feel like it’s taught me teamwork, discipline, and how to push through tough challenges, including the friendships that I’ve made through the experience is priceless.
Roy’Marr:
many ways. It can lead to a professional career in the NBA or overseas It also provides, you know, financial stability for the players and they can create a platform, you know, for personal branding. Basketball, it also shows, you know, valuable life skills like leaderships, communication, things like that, and time management, which I think are beneficial in any career. Oh, while meeting colleges, they have different athletic scholarships for, you know, the talented players. This can also help the students preserve higher education while all playing the sport that they love.
So it’s a win-win.
RoyMarr:
How do you think NBA players use their social media platforms to adress any social issues?
Dashanique:
Most NBA players use their platforms to address the social issues and, you know, contribute to meaningful discussions about the challenges by speaking out on social media. That plays a big part. You know, the interviews that they go on, events, and during the press conferences, you know, telling the experiences that they go through. the dialogue around the social issues that we have nowadays about issues like racial injustice, police brutality, inequality, that’s just the name of it. I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in the community engagement and the outreach programs by the NBA teams over the years. Players, they became more, you know, involved in the initiatives. They’ve been taking lead in community service projects and they’re using their influence to rally up the support from all over for various causes. They I’ve seen youth outreach programs like basketball clinics. I’ve seen a couple of mentorship opportunities and then the educational workshops. It’s helping teach valuable life skills and provide positive role models, you know, for the young people that we have coming up now.
RoyMarr:
What changes did you see in community engagement and outreach by NBA terms in your lifetime?
Dashanique:
I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in the community engagement and the outreach programs by the NBA teams over the years. Players, they became more, you know, involved in the initiatives. They’ve been taking lead in community service projects and they’re using their influence to rally up the support from all over for various causes. They I’ve seen youth outreach programs like basketball clinics. I’ve seen a couple of mentorship opportunities and then the educational workshops. It’s helping teach valuable life skills and provide positive role models, you know, for the young people that we have coming up now.
RoyMarr
What ways did you see basketball movements or events in your life influence the public in social change?
Dashanique
Well, basketball has served as a powerful platform for advocating, you know, the social change and influencing the public opinion. They inspire actions within different communities. It’s become like a big, huge part of the popular culture. You know, the players influencing the fashion, music, all the social trends. Many, you know, players, they’ve launched outreach programs that focus more on the education, the health and the youth of the development community.
RoyMarr
How has basketball changed throughout your life?
Dashanique
Well, I was actually doing some research on that the other day, and the NBA has become like a more global brand. You know, more international players, they make their mark in the league. They expand the fan base. You know, they bring diverse players and styles and cultures into the game. It has evolved with like a greater… shooting on the three points the spacing you know stephen curry he transformed the way the game is played making long range shooting like a central part of offense strategies technology is a different thing as well it is it is influenced the training methods the game strategies and it’s improved player performance analysts.
RoyMarr
What Basketball player influenced you the most?
Dashanique
Honestly, I say players like Kobe Bryant. He had the most influence on me, you know, his work ethic and then the Mamba mentality that really inspired me there. And not only me, just everybody, a lot of people, you know, showing that the dedication and the perseverance, it can lead to greatness, real greatness. And his passion for the game, it was contagious. It kind of rubbed off on me.
RoyMarr
How was basketball for you growing up in Florida?
Dashanique
Well, growing up, basketball was such a huge part of my life. It was all about, you know, the excitement of playing with my friends, my cousins, you know, after school and even during. Just shooting hoops, you know, in the driveway, having a blast. I remember the weekends where I would just be watching the games on the TV and I’d be trying to get up and, you know, mimic the moves that I would see from my favorite teams And the ones that I admired the most. But it was also like a great way just to bond, you know, with my friends and family and also meet new people, whether it was just going to a local team or pulling up on a park and just playing with them. There was always a sense of community no matter where I was. Plus, it taught me valuable lessons about teamwork and discipline.
RoyMarr
Thank you again for taking time out of your day to do this interview with me!
Dashanique
Your welcome.
RoyMarr: Alright bye
Transcribed by OtterAI.
Interview and technology process: I conducted this interview March 11th, 2025, around like 10pm I used zoom to record and otterai to transcribe.
Transcription Process: I have tried to make the interview as best as i could with my microphone on my labtop having problems but otter ai has the transcription right for the most part.
