Status and Race in Professional Sports: How the NBA Shapes Labor Market Inequality

Sociologists have long examined how individual characteristics such as race and status influence labor market outcomes. Yet, less attention has been paid to how workers’ prior employment experiences and the evolving characteristics of organizations shape these inequalities over time. This dissertation addresses this gap by analyzing race- and status-related disparities in career outcomes through the lens of the National Basketball Association. Across three independent chapters, it examines (1) how racial tokenism operates in contexts where White players are underrepresented, (2) the extent and mechanisms of racial disparities in employment stability, and (3) how the status of a player’s most recent employer influences subsequent evaluations and compensation. Together, these studies contribute a dynamic and organizational perspective to studying labor market inequality.