NBA players seem to have to resume the playoffs at Walt Disney World Resort after their protest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
NBA on a hopeful turn after the season on Friday or Saturday. https://t.co/Qn0fcC7KHa
The NBA will hold a video assembly Thursday with a player organization and the governors of the thirteen organizations still in Orlando, NBPA chairman and NBA hard work committee, Michael Jordan, to “discuss the next steps.”
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN announced for the first time that the players had in an assembly on Thursday to continue the playoffs.
Wojnarowski noted Thursday’s show: Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz; Boston Celtics v. Toronto Raptors; Los Angeles Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks – will be postponed.
According to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, LeBron James had a “change of position” about whether to play or not, “transmitting it in his most productive interest to end the season.” On Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers voted to finish the season, according to Charania.
Charania noted that “the players discussed the sacrifices they all made to succeed at this point in the playoffs, and the return to normal with families entering the Disney campus. Players who voted not to play on Wednesday night understood.”
Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report also shared the prospects of some of the players who led to the resolution to resume the playoffs:
Sources: Many players think that getting out of the bubble would take away their platform and feel that a genuine replacement and conscience can come from running in Orlando on this stage. Also many conversations about how this can have a domino effect on the sport.
All of this comes after Wojnarowski announced that the Milwaukee Bucks should not participate in Wednesday’s playoff game opposed to the Orlando Magic in protest. Charania reported that the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder chose to do the same with their playoff game.
The NBA then announced that All three playoffs on Wednesday, the one between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers, had been postponed.
According to Wojnarowski, all NBA players were invited to an assembly to discuss the next steps after the postponements. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated quoted a veteran player who said before the game: “The season is in jeopardy.”
However, Haynes added, “There are a significant number of players who advocate completing the season since sacrifices were made to enter the bubble, believing that the NBA platform is a resource in this social climate.”
Bucks goalkeeper George Hill summed up the emotions of many players by saying, “We’re tired of murders and injustice,” through Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated.
Bucks vice president of strategic marketing and business operations Alex Lasry tweeted: “Some things are bigger than basketball. The stand taken today by the players and org shows that we’re fed up. Enough is enough. Change needs to happen. I’m incredibly proud of our guys and we stand 100% behind our players ready to assist and bring about real change.”
Many players, James, reacted to the Milwaukee resolution (NSFW language):
This man!!!! WE’RE ASKING FOR CHANGE. SICK OF THAT
respect ✊?
Respect @bucks !!!!
WE’RE ASKING FOR CHANGE! @BUCKS ✊???? SALUDO
WE DEMAND JUSTICE !!!
Several NBA players joined the protests after the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other blacks before the season restarted. Some doubted whether the league would even restart its season because games can divert attention from combat opposed to police brutality and systemic racism.
Haynes reported before Wednesday’s resolution to postpone the games that the National Basketball Players Association executive committee had had conversations with players who were seated after being “emotionally traumatized by the latest police shooting” against a black person.
“Players have contacted the committee in recent days, sharing that they are not in the right brain framework to play basketball,” Haynes wrote.
Eric Levenson, Alisha Ebrahimji and Christina Maxouris of CNN reported that a police video emerged in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shooting Blake in the back as he tried to get into a van with his children, who were already inside the vehicle.
Blake’s circle of relatives said he was hospitalized and paralyzed from the waist down. Two police officers were placed on administrative leave.