The NBA playoffs have been going on for quite some time now. We are now in the conference finals and the best part is that the focus has not been 100% on basketball. Players are taking every opportunity to speak about the Black Lives Matter movement and the unjust killings and actions against black people by the country’s police.
After the news came out that Breonna Taylor’s killers would not be imprisoned, players used their platforms, such as interviews and social media, to put their thoughts and feelings out for the public to see. The consensus was the same: it is ridiculous what is going on in this country and everyone should be enraged that Taylor’s killers were not sentenced to jail. It is truly amazing and impactful to see inspiring and strong black athletes use their voices and not stay silent. They can reach so many people with their message and they are using their social media and their TV time to bring light to these issues. As a fan of such an amazing league, I could not be more proud.
Athletes are also putting the names of these victims on their shoes and pregame outfits; though the impact of these athletes is unmeasured, they know and want to enforce that it does not stop here. Everyone must continue taking a stand and making their voices heard in order to truly make a large and lasting difference.
