Clippers forward
Tobias Harris, on the other hand, prefers Goku. “He was always pushing to take that next step to become a Super Saiyan,” Harris said. “There are so many life lessons on the show about unlocking your own potential.”
Beyond the obvious pure entertainment appeal, there’s another reason so many NBA players are drawn to the show.
They can relate to the triumphs and struggles the characters on Dragon Ball go through, similar to their paths from high school, to college, to carving out a spot in the NBA.
“They explain how you will never be your best self because of your ego and anger,” Harris said, breaking down Vegeta’s narrative. “As a professional athlete, you can definitely relate to that.”
Last year, Gita Jackson of
Kotaku wrote
an article titled “Why Black Men Love Dragon Ball Z.” In the story, Jackson interviewed Malcolm Jones, an engineer who described the commonality of how
every main character on the show had an underdog narrative. “I think black men particularly identify themselves with that,” Jones said.
Harris agrees. “It’s a really deep show,” he said, “Some people don’t realize it.” He’s read RZA’s book “The Tao of Wu” where
Dragon Ball Z is described as the journey of the black man.