Roughly 100 NBA employees will step out in solidarity Friday with NBA and WNBA players pushing for social justice, a league source told ESPN. The protest comes two days after the Milwaukee Bucks decided on Wednesday not to take the floor for Game 5 against the Orlando Magic.
New York and New Jersey-based NBA staff members across 10 league divisions – including basketball affairs, cyber security, finance and marketing – aim to call day by day to call on state and local officials to “demand justice for Jacob Blake and for to hold the police accountable. “
“We believe the NBA, its leadership and the Board of Governors undoubtedly have the leverage to do more to tackle and combat police brutality and systemic racism directly in this country,” the staff wrote in a letter to Commissioner Adam Silver and Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum.
“We recognize and credit all the work that the NBA has already done,” the letter continued. “But we have the power to make a bigger impact. The NBA has not acted proactively enough, and has relied too heavily on our players. … We understand that we are a business, but fear of losing revenue and advertisers should not stun us after the cries of Black men, women and children being pushed into the same communities in which we play. “
Employees will meet Friday afternoon for a virtual brainstorming session, sources said. In the letter to Silver and Tatum, staff wrote that they hope to “formally present” these ideas next week. Silver sent an email to staff Friday morning before staff informed senior NBA officials of their decision to protest.
Blake, a black man, was shot seven times Sunday by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Video of the shooting was circulated on social media, sparking protests and prompting more athletes to speak out or take action.
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