SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – As NBA players continue to use their platform as a bullhorn in their call for social justice, Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has a simple message for those who reject the league’s message: “Don’t look.”
NBA players are back to finish their season, suspended from the coronavirus pandemic with a focus on social justice. George Floyd, a black man, was killed in the hands of the Minneapolis police in late May, leading to nationwide protests that led to the return of the NBA.
As player voices have grown, so do the voices of those who wish to see equal rights messages kept away from the game. For Mitchell, it’s not a position he’s willing to give up.
“I’ll keep talking from the heart,” Mitchell said, “If you don’t like it, too bad.”
Mitchell: I don’t like the message, “Don’t look”
The third year guard was one of the more outspoken players within the NBA bubble on racial injustice. From post-match comments to custom shoes, Mitchell hasn’t shied away from using his voice to stand up for what he believes in.
The All-Star first got an infamous backlash after posting a photo of the word “Free-ish” on his Instagram page after Floyd’s death. Mitchell’s post was met with little, but strong backlash from a small segment of counter-message replies.
Now, as the NBA continues its push, that same opposition has redirected its attention to questioning the lack of comment from players about violence in other parts of the country and human rights violations around the world.
Mitchell was unrepentant is his answer to those who seek the league’s motives.
“Look this is our message,” Mitchell said. “We have been experiencing this not just for the past six months, but for four hundred years. If they don’t want to hear it, don’t watch it. “
The jazz guard said he has a childhood mentor to thank for the way he supports his beliefs.
“A teacher once told me, ‘If you want to listen or do your homework, I’ll do my job,'” recalls Mitchell. “It’s the same approach. I’m going to keep going out there and using my voice, and if they don’t want to listen and want to keep rejecting that’s on them. “
No return to normal
Soon the NBA season will be over. The playoffs will conclude in mid-October, when players return to their families and try to rediscover the meaning of traditional family life. But as the season draws to a close, Mitchell has warned that there will be no return to normal because as a black man, Mitchell cannot leave his normalcy.
“This may all end, but at the end of the day, I’m still a black male. I think it’s something people don’t really understand, regardless of money or name. “
Despite the pushback or phone calls from those who want to see a return to the status quo, Mitchell said it wouldn’t stop him from spreading his message.
“Being here, being able to play and keep preaching what I’ve preached and we’ve all preached, I think that’s really what we stand for,” Mitchell said. “And we don’t really care being honest if people don’t like it. Because at the end of the day it is our livelihood and what we have to face every day “.
Fans can watch Mitchell and the Jazz speak again on Sunday at 6:30 pm MT. The game will be broadcast nationally on TNT and locally on AT&T SportsNet.
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