Before tip-off, NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks did not leave their lockerroom for their first-round series game against the Orlando Magic causing the league to postpone three scheduled games Wednesday.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 26: An empty court and bench are shown following the scheduled start time in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Orlando Magic during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 26, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The Milwaukee Buck have boycotted game 5 reportedly to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Jacob Blake, a black man recently paralyzed after being shot seven times in the back by police, lived nearly 40 miles south of Milwaukee. Because of this, players took a stand to show their support for justice.
As these events rapidly unfolded, former players to a former president showed their support.
Barack Obama posted to Twitter saying, “It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values.”
I commend the players on the @Bucks for standing up for what they believe in, coaches like @DocRivers, and the @NBA and @WNBA for setting an example. It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values. pic.twitter.com/rUGETgAt7P
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 27, 2020
TNT’s Kenny Smith walked off set in solidarity just minutes into the start of Inside The NBA.
Kenny Smith, Inside the NBA host, just walked off the set: “As a black man, as a former player, I think it’s best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight.”pic.twitter.com/3561mMA1Vi
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 26, 2020
Former NBA players like Chris Webber gave their emotional reactions during the Wednesday evening broadcast.
Chris Webber holds back tears while speaking about NBA players’ strike after the police shooting of Jacob Blake pic.twitter.com/wowdpF9adg
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 26, 2020
This NBA and WNBA players strike come four years after NFL’s Colin Kaepernick took a knee for the first time during the national anthem.
