Center of attention

Before the other day, I didn’t know the difference between former NBA center John Amaechi and actor Don Amechi.
Amaechi had an unremarkable NBA career with such teams as the Cavaliers and Magic, but he took one extraordinary step last week.
He admitted he's gay.
ESPN exploited, I mean reported, his big news. The more cynical among us might wonder whether the timing of Amaechi's self-outing had anything to do with the release of his book, ''Man in the Middle,'' which contains his personal reflections on being a gay NBA player.
In the aftermath of Amaechi's announcement, there was a rush to praise him for his courage and his openness.
Let's get real for a moment.
This wasn't any sort of Jackie Robinson moment in which a barrier came tumbling down. Gays remain unwelcome in locker rooms.
Amaechi made his revelation from across the Atlantic Ocean, from his home in England, four years after retirement. It's admirable that Amaechi decided to be honest with the public, as well as himself.
At the same time, real bravery would have been exhibited by ''coming out'' during his NBA career. Saying, ‘‘I'm gay. You got a problem with that?'' to a locker room full of teammates would have made a far more emphatic statement and done far more to foster a climate of inclusion in professional sports.
So far, only a handful of pro athletes have admitted to ‘‘playing for the other team’’ — Amaechi, major leaguers Glenn Burke and Billy Bean, as well as NFL veterans Esera Tuaolo, Ray Simmons and David Kopay. All had retired from their respective sports before revealing themselves to be gay. All fit the description of being journeymen in their respective sports.
It's naive to think that homosexuality in the NBA, NFL or major leagues is confined to bench-warmers. It's likely that active gay athletes in all professional sports will shroud their sexual preferences in secrecy until a high-profile player makes the sort of announcement Amaechi did four years too late.
If such an athlete came out and then proceded to dunk all over punks during a 30-point night or rush for 150 yards or throw a two-hitter, it would encourage players, coaches and fans to worry less about questions of sexuality and spend more time appreciating athletic ability.