Members of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics appeared in court on Wednesday wearing white T-shirts – each bearing a letter bearing the name of Jacob Blake – and seven bullet holes in the back.
The team stood up in front of the blank sideline that spelled Blake’s name with their shirts, then took a knee to the court.
Blake is, of course, the Kenosha, Wisconsin, man who was shot by police on Aug. 23 after a brief physical fight and after refusing to repeat claims to submit to arrest. Blake is thought to be paralyzed from the wounds.
– Washington Mystics (@WashMystics) August 26, 2020
United. pic.twitter.com/wRgXRHVUsA
– WNBA (@WNBA) August 27, 2020
The league soon canceled its games for Wednesday and Friday in solidarity with the payers of Mystics.
Speaking for her team, guard Ariel Atkins made a statement about the team’s feelings about shooting Blake.
“We wanted everyone to feel supported,” Atkins said of the team’s decision. “Understand that this is not just about basketball. We are not just basketball players and just because we are basketball players does not mean that this is our only platform. We need to understand that when most of us go home, we are still black, in the sense that our families do. “
“We have this little guy right here,” she said of the child the team brought with her to court for her stunt. “His life matters. He needs to know that he can do whatever he wants when he leaves his house. As he grows up. For some reason you do not want to go crazy, but he does. And that’s what people need to understand. We are not just basketball players, and if you think we are, then do not look at us. You see the wrong sport because we are so much more than that. We will say what we have to say. And people need to hear that. And if they do not support it, then I’m fine. “
Ariel Atkins delivers a message for the @WashMystics players. pic.twitter.com/tz5ojpo30A
– WNBA (@WNBA) August 27, 2020
“We need to understand that these moments are so much bigger than ours, and I really appreciate my team, for not only having my back, but for saying what they feel,” Atkins continued. ‘It’s hard to say that kind of stuff at the moment. It’s hard to be vulnerable in these moments. But I think if we do this uniform as a league, it looks different. Because this competition is close to, if not over, 80 percent Black women.
“We have cousins, we have brothers, we have sisters, mothers, everyone – we do it,” she concluded. ‘And I find that important. I think people need to know that. And I’m tired of telling people that. I know I’m doing it. We know we care. I’m tired of telling people that. If you do not know it, if you do not think so, then you should check it again. If you have a problem with us saying ‘Black lives do,’ you should check your privilege. ‘
The WNBA joined Major League Baseball and the NBA in canceling games in recognition of the Jacob Blake incident.
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