Some of the vocal “social justice”-minded players in the NBA are considering a boycott over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, The Washington Post outlined Wednesday.
According to the Post, Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet told the press on Tuesday “that the possibility of boycotting Game 1 of a second-round series against the Boston Celtics came up in a team meeting.”
“If we’re going to sit here and talk about making change, then at some point we’re going to have to put our nuts on the line and actually put something up to lose, rather than just money or visibility,” VanVleet said during a presser, according to NBA.com. “What are we willing to give up? Do we actually give a f*** about what’s going on or is it just cool to wear Black Lives Matter on the backdrop or wear a T-shirt? What does that really mean? Is that really doing anything?”
As part of the racial justice initiative, NBA players are now allowed to display a “social justice” word and phrase, selected from an approved list, on the back of their jerseys instead of their last names.
The approved list includes phrases like “Anti-Racist,” “Ally,” “Say Her Name,” “I Can’t Breathe,” “Enough,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “How Many More.”
“I’m just over the media aspect of it. It’s sensationalized,” VanVleet added. “We talk about it every day. That’s all we see, but it just feels like a big pacifier to me.”
Additionally, Milwaukee Bucks guard George Hill said Monday that NBA players “‘shouldn’t have even came to this damn place, to be honest’ because playing in the bubble ‘took all the focal points off what the issues are,'” the Post reported, adding that Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said on Twitter, “I want to go protest.”
I want to go protest
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) August 25, 2020
Brown participated in protests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died back in May following an arrest in Minneapolis.
“The ‘to play or not to play’ question preceded the bubble’s opening last month, with a group of players led by Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving arguing against basketball’s return because it could distract from ongoing nationwide protests,” the Post report noted. “Superstar players, including Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul, have repeatedly attempted to keep the focus on the deaths of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other police shooting victims. James said Monday that Blake’s shooting was ‘f—-ed up’ and that ‘guns are a huge issue in America,’ adding that Black people are ‘terrified’ and feel that police are ‘hunting us.'”
Sports commentator and Outkick founder Clay Travis reacted to the report via Twitter on Wednesday.
“NBA players are threatening to boycott games as a protest,” he wrote. “Those games will then be rescheduled and played at a later date.”
“Which means the protest is completely nonsensical & will have zero impact,” Travis argued. “Which probably means NBA players will do it.”
NBA players are threatening to boycott games as a protest. Those games will then be rescheduled and played at a later date. Which means the protest is completely nonsensical & will have zero impact. Which probably means NBA players will do it.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 26, 2020