The police-involved death of George Floyd appeared to change the leagues positions on supporting social justice initiatives. A lot so, the league allowed players to pick a pre-approved message to wear on the back of their jersey for the rebooted season.
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New Orleans Pelicans veteran J.J. Redick was amongst the gamers who knelt throughout the national anthem Thursday night prior to the very first video game of the NBAs rebooted season versus the Utah Jazz.
” First of all, I do not think anybody in the NBA cares if President Trump watches basketball. I could not care less,” he told Yahoo Sports. “As far as his base, I believe no matter the specificity of tweeting about the NBA, every tweet of his is indicated to divide, every tweet is meant to prompt, every tweet is meant to push his base. [ last week] was no various.”
Silver launched a statement to The New York Times moments after the Pelicans and Jazz coaches and players knelt throughout the anthem on Thursday. Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers followed suit in their game later that night.
” I appreciate our teams unified act of tranquil protest for social justice and under these distinct scenarios will not impose our long-standing rule requiring standing during the playing of our nationwide anthem,” Silver stated.
Redick was asked Thursday night about President Trumps tweet that the “game is over” for him if he sees any player kneeling during the national anthem. Since that tweet, several MLB players knelt during the anthem throughout their opening series and NBA gamers did the same.
NBAS ADAM SILVER SUPPORTS PLAYERS KNEELING DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM, WONT ENFORCE LEAGUE RULE ON STANDING
When it comes to Redick, he thought that no one in the league really provided two ideas about whether Trump was enjoying them play.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver seemed encouraging of coaches and players taking a knee throughout the nationwide anthem to demonstration versus racial injustice and cops brutality.
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” First of all, I dont believe any person in the NBA cares if President Trump sees basketball. I couldnt care less,” he told Yahoo Sports. “As far as his base, I think regardless of the uniqueness of tweeting about the NBA, every tweet of his is implied to divide, every tweet is suggested to incite, every tweet is indicated to embolden his base.
