In 1978, responding to growing fascination with the perceived ‘ghetto’ roots of American basketball, CBS and MTM Enterprises launched the primetime serial The White Shadow (1978-1981). The article analyses The White Shadow’s first season and argues that the show’s basketball spaces are contested sites of discipline and desire where ‘ghetto’ culture confronts normative White values. The White Shadow’s mix of progressive and conservative themes reflects the complex transitional culture between 1960s progressivism and the reactionary 1980s. Critical reception of the show and statements by The White Shadow’s cast, director, and producer display this ambivalence.
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