More NBA Players—Including Michael Jordan And Lebron James—Speak Out Loudly Against Police Brutality

TOPLINE

With unrest reaching a fever pitch in more than 30 cities throughout the country this weekend, numerous NBA players, coaches and executives used social media platforms to express their full support of protesters railing against police brutality, with dozens joining demonstrations themselves.

KEY FACTS

Critical quote: 

“African Americans have been living in a burning building for many years, choking on the smoke as the flames burn closer and closer,” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wrote on Saturday. “Racism in America is like dust in the air. It seems invisible — even if you’re choking on it — until you let the sun in. Then you see it’s everywhere.” 

Here are some of the aforementioned social media posts:

Key Background:

Sunday marked the sixth day of unrest since the death of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis, and protests, demonstrations, and riots raged throughout the weekend. By Sunday night, fires were burning outside the White House. The NNBA and its players have long prided themselves on being bold enough to speak out against injustice in America. NBA players that participated in protests this weekend include former start Dwyane Wade, San Antonio’s Lonnie Walker, Udonis Haslem of the Heat, brothers Jerami and Jerian Grant, Boston’s Enes Kanter and Marcus Smart, Owner Mark Cuban and Mavs players Dwight Powell, Jalen Brunson, Maxi Kleber and Justin Jackson, Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon, Utah’s Jordan Clarkson, Minnesota’s Josh Okogie and Karl-Anthony Towns, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle of the Sixers, and New York’s Dennis Smith Jr.  

Further Reading:

Colin Kaepernick Offers To Pay For Lawyers For Protesters Arrested In Minneapolis (Forbes) 

Overnight Mayhem Follows Peaceful Rallies (New York Times) 

Violence Escalates On Both Sides In Latest Wave Of Protests (Forbes)