For whatever it's worth, Todd Boyd is a Professor in the USC School of Cinema Arts, not a sportswriter -- at least not by trade; sportswriting is more of an avocation for Professor Boyd. His USC bio proclaims that "[h]e is an expert on issues of urban popular culture and is internationally regarded for his work on race, cinema, hip hop culture, and sports. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Boyd is acknowledged as one of the individuals who created the academic study of hip hop culture." He has also written a book with NBA roots, en led "Young, Black, Rich, and Famous: The Rise of the NBA, the Hip Hop Invasion."
He's a sociologist commenting on matters about the NBA. I don't find fault with Dr. Boyd's academic pursuits. But his commentary hints of a particular sociological bent that suggests that the biggest fault he might find with the Spurs might be the absence of an overt hip-hop culture in the organization. His column reminds me of Stephen A. Smith's intimations a few years ago that the Spurs were just too "white" to be taken seriously as an elite NBA team.