Former NBA player Chris Webber gave a passionate speech about the players who refused to participate in their playoff games on Wednesday in protest against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Webber, an NBA commentator on Turner Sports, said he was proud of the players who decided to step away from basketball for the night. He also called Martin Luther King Jr. and Medgar Evers on in his speech.
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“We know that nothing will change. We get it. Martin Luther King was shot and risked his life – Medgar Evers. We have seen this in all our heroes who are constantly declining. We understand it does not end there, ‘said the former great Sacramento Kings.
‘But that does not mean young men do nothing. Do not listen to these people who tell you to do nothing because it does not end immediately. You start something for the next generation and the next generation to take it over. ”
Webber said the reason he watched the videos of Black Men’s stars was because of Emmett Till, the boy who was lynched in 1955 for allegedly whistling at a white woman, which later turned out to be untrue.
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“The only reason I watch the videos of the death of Black men … is because Emmett Till’s mother decided to put him on the cover and decided to put his picture out when he was so cruel years ago I always remember her power. Because if she did not expose that image to show what lynching, what the KKK did, what others did – that just opened the eyes of America in many ways. It got the attention. That horrible thing. , ‘ugly image of a young boy not even old enough to vote is being killed for a lie,’ he said.
Webber’s colleague Kenny Smith also made a statement going through the TNT set in solidarity with the players.
“As a black man, as a former player, I think it’s best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight,” Smith said before running around during the live broadcast.
Shaquille O’Neal also expressed support for the players’ decision.
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“Everyone was united in their decision. I respect that, because if everyone was not unanimous, we would be talking about what is not important instead of the issues,” O’Neal said. “I respect the boys. I respect “I respect everyone’s thoughts and processes about how they handle certain things. African Americans are fed up, people who care are fed up and something needs to change.”
Fox News’ Thomas Barrabi contributed to the report.
