The National Basketball Association recently resumed play after a short protest from leagues players, coaches and staff due to the killing of many unarmed black men and the most recent shooting of Jacob Blake.
With previous cries for help for the cruel murder of George Floyd and continued behavior by the police officers. The NBA players felt their voices were not being heard enough so ultimately they had decided to not play anymore until there was change. The players boycotted their playoff games in a way of showing their frustration to social injustice.
There were plenty of calls, meetings, and open discussions between the NBA to see what the next steps should be to make a change. Blake, a Black man, was shot multiple times in the back by a police officer in Kenosha, Wis. The shooting sparked protests in Kenosha and elsewhere throughout the week. Blake is paralyzed from the waist down, according to his father.
This was the sole reason for the NBA shutdown for a few days. This step from the NBA proves to have brung more awareness and education to the issues of social injustice. Professional athletes have a unique platform because their popularity across the world leads people to listen and actually hear what their idols have to say. The National BAsketball Association agreed to open up voting polls at the NBA arenas in their towns and do much more to help the community of African Americans.
This is a huge step in the NBA’s success to get rid of inequality.
– Keoin Russell is a junior mass communication from Phoenix, Ariz.
