NBA, players to form social justice coalition
The NBA playoffs will resume Saturday, according to a joint statement released by NBA commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts.
As part of the agreement to reconvene postseason play, the NBA committed to establishing a social justice coalition comprised of players, coaches, and team governors. The coalition will focus on increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for police and criminal justice reform.
Further, NBA owners will work with local election officials to convert their home arenas into voting sites for the 2020 general election. The league and players will also work with TV networks to create advertising spots during the postseason to promote engagement in the election process.
"These commitments follow months of close collaboration around designing a safe and healthy environment to restart the NBA season, providing a platform to promote social justice, as well as creating an NBA Foundation focused on economic empowerment in the Black community," Silver and Roberts' statement reads.
NBPA president Chris Paul weighed in on the united front players showed during recent meetings.
"What we're doing right now in our league is huge. And I think for the young guys in our league to get a chance to see how guys are really coming together and speak and see real change, real action," Paul said. "Because guys are tired. ... We're just tired of seeing the same thing over and over again."
The Oklahoma City Thunder floor general also discussed his opportunity to speak with the father of Jacob Blake, the Black man who was shot several times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this past weekend. Footage of Blake's shooting played a key role in sparking player protests Wednesday and Thursday.
"We're human. We have real feelings. And I'm glad that we got the chance to get in a room together to talk with one another and not just cross paths and say, 'Good luck in your game today,'" Paul said.
Players decided to resume the postseason following a meeting Thursday morning. Playoff games originally set to be played between Aug. 26-28 were postponed and will be rescheduled.