Take a knee during the national anthem. T-shirts with black life-wearing on. Talk about George Floyd or Breonna Taylor of no Jacob Blake. NBA players understood that these were symbolic gestures and felt the influence of their message about social justice disappear when the seething games of the NBA playoff games became.
What the players wanted was real change – structural changes in areas such as police reform. The kind of change that happens because influential people – say billionaires and NBA team owners – can happen.
In the wake of NBA players choosing not to play in playoff games on Wednesday in protest against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, owners and players had a conference call on Thursday. LeBron James and other players challenged the owners, saying they were proactive in not reacting, seeing structural changes and actions, which include specifications, and they want to see that owners are truly dedicated to the business.
Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report / TNT has the details.
The joint call with the owners has just ended. Sources say players had a list of important things. Players want organizational change – including committed coalition w / full-time job to manage the issues. Voice, police reform, etc. Want to be proactive instead of reactive.
– Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 27, 2020
Sources say Michael Jordan has taken a strong position to help owners see different points of view. On today’s call – he said he does not just speak like an owner, if not even a player … he speaks like a black man.
– Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 27, 2020
Sources say Lebron James was the last player to speak about the call and he delivered a strong, thoughtful message to the owners. His main point was that the work should continue, and the owners should really commit themselves to promoting this cause.
– Taylor Rooks (@TaylorRooks) August 27, 2020
NBA owners have been devoting $ 300 million to the Black community for more than 10 years. What the players wanted was for them to use their influence, not just throw money at the problem.
LeBron James wanted to see a plan. When he was “persistent”, the playoffs had to be closed, it was not about playing or chasing a ring, it was about lacking a plan for social justice. The Bucks boycotted a game without talking to anyone, not the league, the players’ association, or even their opponents. There was no plan when the move was made. LeBron understood that the gestures that players make at games can only go so far, and that real change will come from people like the billionaire owners of NBA teams who demand it.
With Michael Jordan as bridge, the owners listened. Exactly what form these actions will take remains to be seen, and will vary from city to city, but there is now an energy behind it.
The NBA playoffs are expected to begin again this weekend.
