LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – The Milwaukee Bucks’ win on Monday brought them closer to the second round of the NBA playoffs. But Bucks guard George Hill wasn’t in the mood to celebrate after the game.
“I’m tired of these corrupt cops,” Hill said outside the Bucks locker room.
Bucks keeper George Hill speaks loudly about the police shooting of African American Jacob Blake in Milwaukee and wondered if NBA teams should have entered the “bubble” in the middle of the social justice movement. pic.twitter.com/Z12YtI5Iep
– Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) 24 August 2020
The cops Hill was referring to this time were from Kenosha, Wisconsin, where police fired seven shots at Jacob Blake, who is Black and turned his back on him. According to attorney Ben Crump, Blake’s three children – ages 8, 5 and 3 – were observed from a car.
It was the latest episode of police brutality against blacks. While Blake is expected to survive, he is currently paralyzed from the waist down, according to his father.
Hill first saw the online video of the shooting Monday morning. Being the father of two young children made it even more difficult to watch, he said.
“We shouldn’t have come to this damn place to be honest,” Hill said after the game. Asked later that day to elaborate, Hill told The Undefeated via text: “We shouldn’t be playing with everything that’s going on. We’re only here for money reasons. These games are just obscuring what’s really going on. “
Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell shared a similar sentiment on social media on Monday: “F games and playoffs !! This is sick and it is a real problem that we ask for justice! It’s crazy I have no words but wtf man! This is why we don’t feel safe !!!! “
FI GAMES AND PLAYOFFS !!! THIS IS SICK AND IT IS A REAL PROBLEM WE ASK FOR JUSTICE! HE’S CRAZY, I HAVE NO WORDS BUT WTF MAN! THAT’S WHY WE DON’T FEEL SAFE !!!! https://t.co/3E4Dd2wS3e
– Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) 24 August 2020
The NBA temporarily suspended its season due to the March 11 pandemic. Two and a half months later, George Floyd’s death at the hands of the Minneapolis police sparked protests around the world. At the time, the NBA was creating its own “bubble” in Orlando, Florida to start the season over, but some players wondered if playing basketball would divert attention from the protests. Eventually, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association decided to restart the season on July 30th. In Orlando, players continued to speak out against police brutality, racial injustice and systemic racism.
On Monday, players’ association executive director Michele Roberts said he believes it is important for players to continue using their platform for social justice. Being in the bubble gives players a chance to talk to the media during matches, training and in other contexts, he said.
“Which George Hill would say means people are listening,” Roberts told The Undefeated. “The fact that Donovan Mitchell is saying what he said means that people are listening. We want to talk about how great these games are. And they were great games. These players said: ‘No. No. We’re not focusing on someone’s game. We are focusing on what is happening on the streets and this is outrageous. ‘ They have a platform where they can be heard. They are using it and we’ll see what happens. I think everyone is reacting to the tape right now and it’s just awful. …
“As evidenced by their social media, they are hurt and horrified. The good news is that they are more determined to use their platform as a way to draw attention to this. It supports a call to action and what else we can do to address this issue. But everyone is heartbroken. … And many of our players are fathers. The horror of seeing this man being shot in front of his children affects them deeply. “
Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon, whose team was knocked out of the playoffs on Monday, doesn’t regret coming to Orlando for the NBA resumption.
“There were a lot of guys who decided not to come because of what’s going on with the black community, the oppression,” said Brogdon, who joined Boston Celtics striker Jaylen Brown in May in a protest. peaceful in Atlanta. “But for me, I thought I could have a bigger impact by making this money and then helping the black community with it, and also continuing to shed some light on those who have no voice.”
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul played the most important role in convincing players to come to Orlando as the players’ association president. He also worked with the union to push the NBA to receive social justice messages on soccer jerseys, and those jerseys are now being auctioned to help struggling black communities.
Paul normally refrains from reading anything on social media while in the NBA playoffs. But after his wife, Jada, told him it was important, the father of two watched Blake’s video.
“It gave me the creeps, man, knowing his kids were in the car,” Paul said. “This is not right. I don’t care what you say. I don’t know enough about what was going on. But I don’t care what was going on. It can’t happen to a man … I’m tired of watching videos. David West, who is a brother to me, said he doesn’t watch them. I’m almost at that point. I am tired of seeing it. “
So where do NBA players go from here? Roberts said he expects players to communicate with each other about what they should do next.
The Portland Trail Blazers posted a public service announcement during their defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night with the message, “It could be me.” The Bucks also released a statement in support of Blake, adding: “We will continue to support all black lives.”
After the Lakers’ 135-115 game 4 win over Portland, LeBron James offered his thoughts on Blake.
“That’s what we’ve talked about and will continue to talk about,” James told Turner Sports after the win. “Having two children of my own and me being African Americans in America, and continuing to see the police brutality that happens to my kind, to keep seeing what keeps going hand in hand with injustice, is very concerning.
“Let’s play a beautiful game that brings so many families together. People are able to rejoice and have fun. But at the same time, never lose sight of what’s happening in our world, especially in America. “
