When the NBA resumed in Orlando in the midst of the growing social justice movement, there was some concern among players that games could become a distraction and curb the momentum of the initiative. The players worked to keep the movement at the forefront, from kneeling during the national anthem to dedicating large segments of their media sessions to raising awareness.
But some aren’t sure it’s enough. In the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, the Raptors players said they held a team meeting on Tuesday where they discussed how to take further action, including the possibility of boycotting their conference semi-finals against the Celtics.
“We knew coming here or not coming here wouldn’t stop anything,” Toronto guard Fred VanVleet said. “But I think in the end playing or not playing puts some pressure on someone.”
When asked about the Raptors’ comments, Marcus Smart said the Celtics might consider a similar path.
“There has been talk,” he said. “We’re not really sure. We haven’t confirmed anything, but it’s definitely something on our minds. It’s something that – something has to change. As I said, it’s more important than basketball right now. It’s definitely a thought and we need to talk more to each other and try to stay on the same page. “
Jaylen Brown said the Celtics hadn’t discussed a potential boycott, but indicated it could be a topic of discussion in the coming days.
“Those emotions are real,” Brown said. “This is true. Yes, we are athletes. Yes, we are paid to play a sport we love. But we are human beings, members of our community. We are fathers, uncles, nephews, brothers, etc. So all these emotions are real and I don’t really have much to say. I’m just glad by the grace of God that Jacob Blake is still alive, because the police who shot him were not their intention. They shot him to kill him, and that’s a problem in this country. There are a million different ways you could have dissolved that situation and your thought was to kill him. This was the best method. “
Blake, who is Black, was shot by the police while trying to get into his car after police from Kenosha, Wis., Was called in for a domestic disturbance. He survived the shooting, but his father said he was paralyzed below the waist.
Brown, who led a peaceful protest in Georgia before the NBA reboot, was visibly shocked on Tuesday as he spoke about his sadness and frustration following this latest shooting.
“Aren’t we human?” churches. “Isn’t Jacob Blake a human being? I don’t care if he did something 10 years ago, 10 days ago or 10 minutes ago. If he served his sentence and was released back into society, he still deserves to be treated like a human and doesn’t deserve to be shot in the back seven times with intent to kill. His children will never see him. His family will never see him. And frankly, I’ll never see it. “
Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals is scheduled for Thursday night.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.
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