There has been much unrest over the last couple weeks due to the ongoing protest in support of justice for George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement. Many athletes, specifically NBA players, have voiced their own support for the movement and protests, and some have even joined them on the streets. With a league of predominantly African American athletes, they have shown how their voices can reach millions through social media and their own platforms. Even with all of their success and fame, they are still African American men, and it is great to see them speak up in support of the movement.
However, these protests and concerns come at a time where the NBA is on the brink of reopening. The NBA recently negotiated with Disney to continue their season at the Walt Disney Resort on July 30. Some players have raised issues that the NBA season would push aside the current attention to protests and goal for the end of systematic racism in our country. Kyrie Irving, the current VP of the NBPA, led a call with 80 NBA players about the concerns with the NBA restart. Here is a quote put out by Irving and others within the coalition:
“As an oppressed community we are going on 500-plus years of being systemically targeted, used for our IP [intellectual property]/Talent, and also still being killed by the very people that are supposed to ‘protect and serve’ us.
“WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!
“We are combating the issues that matter most: We will not accept the racial injustices that continue to be ignored in our communities. We will not be kept in the dark when it comes to our health and well-being. And we will not ignore the financial motivations/expectations that have prevented us historically from making sound decisions.”
On the other hand, other players such as LeBron James, Garrett Temple, and Austin Rivers are supporting a restart to the season. LeBron James has reportedly felt that he and others can still continue the season while showing support for the protests and BLM movement.
Neither side is wrong because they are essentially two sides of the same coin. Both seek to bring justice and equality within our political, economic, social, and justice systems for all African Americans. Yet those such as Irving and Lou Williams, who stated “In this climate… it’s a distraction,” feel that continuing the NBA season would drown out the brave protesters and call to action for justice. However, they cannot see that they can also use this season to highlight the need for justice and equality as well. Both regular season and playoff games are for certain to draw in millions of viewers, which allows for a certain platform to speak for justice for George Floyd and all black Americans experiencing systematic racism. They have shown support before and during games as well, and both players and organizations can do even more now to spread awareness and call out injustices still occurring today. The NBA season would only distract others from the BLM movement and justice for George Floyd’s murder if players and organizations choose to ignore it or fail to address it. However, continuing the season would allow for them to use an even greater platform to speak out beyond social media.
These times have proven unprecedented in the history of our country, and the NBA can use their platform to speak out against social injustice by implementing ways to voice their support for protestors and call its viewers to action to change our system for the better of all black and mistreated people.
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