Some NBA players may protest by boycotting playoffs

[Guess Who]

Yeah for the first time during covid I can say that I firmly believe the 19-20 NBA season is done.

 

[Regular_P]

A week ago Kyrie was going to Orlando and now he's leading players in a revolt against it.



Also, what are Kyrie and other player's plans to spark change if they boycott the season? The only person I've seen start anything is LeBron's More Than a Vote campaign with Trae Young and Jalen Rose. So what does everyone else want to do because I haven't heard shyt as far as plans and the protests have been going on for over two weeks now.

 

[Megadeus]

Yep exactly! This is why Im skeptical of them using social change angle. If they are scared of the virus, or dont want to be confined in a bubble its totally understandable, but they can reach MANY MORE PEOPLE/COMPANIES if through playing and having their voice heard daily for 4 months

Haven't looked at it like that.

I would respect a sit-out. Stak is right, this is bigger than the game. BUT, if the NBA players boycott, won't the people who want to take their mind off this stuff just watch some other sport instead? It would only work if ALL PLAYERS from ALL sports boycotted so nobody could watch anything.

The NBA playoffs will be the hottest ticket in town. If you want to watch them play, you HAVE to hear the message every single night. Make it completely unavoidable. Ingrain it into the production throughout. Tattoo the message to the inside of America's eyelids. Also the fact that all the games will be played at the same location will make it so much easier to organize something and weave it into the production. NBA is a player's league, they could use this to their advantage...

 

[Lakerman0834]

Haven't looked at it like that.

I would respect a sit-out. Stak is right, this is bigger than the game. BUT, if the NBA players boycott, won't the people who want to take their mind off this stuff just watch some other sport instead? It would only work if ALL PLAYERS from ALL sports boycotted so nobody could watch anything.

The NBA playoffs will be the hottest ticket in town. If you want to watch them play, you HAVE to hear the message every single night. Make it completely unavoidable. Ingrain it into the production throughout. Tattoo the message to the inside of America's eyelids. Also the fact that all the games will be played at the same location will make it so much easier to organize something and weave it into the production. NBA is a player's league, they could use this to their advantage...

I know Americans don’t really watch soccer but rest of the world does. Bundesliga has been playing and Frankfurt had black lives matter their jersey, sancho and hakimi both honored George Floyd after scoring and a whole bunch of other celebrations. literally the WHOLE GLOBE saw those statements since soccer is the worlds sport. Now imagine nba stars Doing it daily all day for 4 months and having their foot on politician and corporations neck in an election year

 

[Primetime]

My personal opinion is that if they decide to boycott, it's got to be more than "just so we can stay out of the way."

That's not how it works.

Pick specific policies or legislation that you want changed (bring in black civil rights activists/leaders for consultation) and establish the demands.

That puts accountability and direction on the players, puts pressure on the NBA and owners to support, and puts pressure on the lawmakers and government to respond, esp with how big the public backing would be.

You compound that by having superstar players (Lebron, Curry, Giannis, etc) spreading that same rhetoric (these are our demands), which will lead to other major celebrities across industries jumping on the bandwagon to show support (and give NFL players something to think about), all backed and authenticated by black civil rights activists... and now you're being unified active contributors.

One of the most famous boycotts (Rosa Parks) was a savvy collaborative move to rule racial segregation laws of buses as unconstitutional; it was specific, strategic, transparent (these are the laws we want changed) and they boycotted the fukk out of the public transit system for 381 days. It wasn't easy but part of the strategy was planning workarounds for those dependent on public transportation. Govt eventually caved.

Who knows if it'd take that long or any of the logistics (depends on the demands) but if those are the types of discussions ("chess moves") these NBA players want to have, then that is exactly what is needed in this country. Even if it's only one policy change or amendment among the demands that is met, it would be worth it.

My .02

 

[dh86]

Actually having the nba broadcasting and continually pumping George Floyd and BLM in your face nightly would actually be far more effective at this point than ....the world taking notice that Kyrie irving isn’t playing basketball.......when Trayvon got clipped the NBA moved that movement forward more than anyone else BY ACTUALLY AIRING GAMES AND MESSAGES DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE ISSUE.......

The players staying home moves the needle 0% .....cuz if these guys aren’t balling their significance of where they stand looses potency......we need african American stars on tv to move the needle in a way only they can, in front of world wide audiences.......

Kyrie graduated from Duke, no offense (I hope) but I highly doubt the next brain savvy enough to lead black peoples from their situation will be from there.....because what Kyrie is saying is the EXACT OPPOSITE of having an impact.......

I’m in agreement. The power that players hold relies on utilizing their wealth (they could do this anyway), using their celebrity to raise awareness, and to use their place on their team to pressure their individual teams owner to act. Kyrie walking away would only serve to no longer be a celebrity and voluntarily giving up the platform he has today. Kaepernick protest made so much more waves because he made people uncomfortable and it was in everyone face. If Kaepernick just retired that training camp for the cause, he’d have been forgotten by now

 

[PortCityProphet]

But why cant they use the platform to even further the cause. Literally the whole world will be watching if NBA returns and they can do a lot with their platform if the players are really about social change.

Or the whole world wont be able to watch and they can really send a message.
A sitout will get 100% of the message across, playing will get 5%.
I can write the highlight now-
"We continue with our NBA coverage and like the Pelicans and the Rockets in the game before the Lakers and Clippers also wore shirts asking about social chamge. There you see Lebron James. James started the game off hot hitting 4 straight shots...."
And it'll be another 1:30 of highlights.

As opposed to an entire A and B block dedicated to a missing league.

 

[Project Pooch]

I haven’t been keeping up with this shyt at all.

is the season still most likely happening in Orlando like they said??

 

[Primetime21]

Where all the new Craig Hodges fans from last month?

According to posters in this thread having the players wear custom t-shirts every night would be more effective than action.

 

[Lakerman0834]

Or the whole world wont be able to watch and they can really send a message.
A sitout will get 100% of the message across, playing will get 5%.
I can write the highlight now-
"We continue with our NBA coverage and like the Pelicans and the Rockets in the game before the Lakers and Clippers also wore shirts asking about social chamge. There you see Lebron James. James started the game off hot hitting 4 straight shots...."
And it'll be another 1:30 of highlights.

As opposed to an entire A and B block dedicated to a missing league.

I get your point and yes it makes sense. Unfortunately humans will just go to the next thing which is the NFL coming back and everyone will just shift focus to watching football. We know the NFL theyll do a half ass anti-racism promo to check off the box and then back to scheduled programming. Again im not saying either side is right or wrong but its just my opinion on whats going to happen

 

[Swagnificent]

I see you're back from yesterday after not answering my question about George Hill and Myles Turner. Here's a recap of what they've said and of others who have spoken up, cac:

George Hill:
"We've been doing this for 400 years. It's been the same. So, for me, it just means more because you're supposed to look at those people as protectors, and you don't have that. You're supposed to look at all these situations as learning lessons, but you're like, 'When is learning enough? Like when is it enough? Like when are we going to be tired of this? How do we change the narrative?' So, for me, it's just tough.

No, I'm not going to shut up and dribble. I don't care if you take my contract, I don't care if you say that I'm this or that, I'm human. I have a heart. I have a pulse. I have emotions. I'm a man. I have kids. I'm a father. I have a wife. I have friends. I have loved ones. It means [something] to me. I'm not going to just shut up and dribble."

So, that's my last thought on my mind is basketball. I can care less what's going on. I think there's bigger issues and bigger things to tackle in life right now than a basketball game, but that's just my personal opinion."

Myles Turner
"I'm paid millions of dollars to go out there and perform at a high level so part of it's like, 'Man, you've got to suck it up and go out there and do what you're paid to do,' but the other part of it is like, 'Listen man this basketball s---, I love it, it's part of what makes me me, but it's not all of what makes me me, either,' and I have a responsibility as a young black professional athlete to advocate for this change."

Avery Bradley, the Lakers guard, was the second person to speak on the call behind Irving and was vocal throughout, urging players to take a stand and utilize this moment to "play chess, not checkers."

Dwight Howard stressed to players that playing in Orlando will become a distraction from the issues the country is facing, and that they need to unify and use this moment to create a change.

Mitchell, Anthony and Howard all "expressed their desire not to play at this juncture."

CJ McCollum also voted "no" on returning to play this season.

Stay mad, cac.

So proud of these guys. Hope they stick to their guns and don't let these cac owners bully them outta this position.

 

[Swagnificent]

Captain Jack has spoken.

 

[Swagnificent]

I know Americans don’t really watch soccer but rest of the world does. Bundesliga has been playing and Frankfurt had black lives matter their jersey, sancho and hakimi both honored George Floyd after scoring and a whole bunch of other celebrations. literally the WHOLE GLOBE saw those statements since soccer is the worlds sport. Now imagine nba stars Doing it daily all day for 4 months and having their foot on politician and corporations neck in an election year

We've had symbolic gestures before. They haven't worked.

Radical moves are needed to enact the lasting changes we need. Boycotting the playoffs would be that radical move.

 

[Oldschooler]

I truly feel it'll be a waste for them to sit out because it aint going to do shyt and eventually they'll return. I think Austin Rivers has a good point. Why not just play and get everybody to donate their entire yearly salary to BLM or towards fighting for tangible causes. Now that will make a statement and make them selfless. If they just sit on a couch as a sign of protest and nothing happens it'll feel like a big waste. People aren't going to go to war because Kyrie or any other NBA player said so.

 

[YoungMoneyCashMoneyBoy]