NBA athletes postpone playoffs to protest police violence

Reporter: Morgan Rynor Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published: Updated:
Referees huddle on an empty court at game time of a scheduled game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Orlando Magic for Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP

The NBA playoff games are postponed, but players have agreed to not cancel the season.

NBA players walked off the court Wednesday night to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Former President Barack Obama took to Twitter to support their stand for human rights.

Lebron James also tweeted: “And ya’ll wonder why we say what we say about the police.”

Dave Thomas, a former cop and now forensics professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, appreciates how the NBA’s superstars are using their power to get attention, shining a light on the police killings of Black men and women.

“One thing I will say about Lebron James and that group is they keep this in the public’s face,” Thomas said. “If somehow they become the conscience of this country and force change and force people to sit and listen, then I’m all for it, because this is long overdue.”

Thomas especially appreciated the passion of Doc Rivers, former Orlando Magic and current L.A. Clippers coach and son of a police officer.

“All you do is keep hearing about fear,” Rivers said. “It’s amazing why we keep loving this country and this country does not love us back.”

“For a long time, we didn’t do anything,” Thomas said. “There were no marches, there were no protests, there was nothing, and so now all of a sudden people have had enough and they are starting to push back, and so the question now becomes: Does my country really love me? Do they love me enough to make changes?”

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