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Pacers Players Impressed By Indiana Fever's Decision To Kneel During National Anthem

Pacers C Myles Turner on Thursday said that he was "impressed" by the WNBA Indiana Fever's decision to kneel for the National Anthem, according to Nate Taylor of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Turner said, "The biggest thing with this is unity. That's what they brought to the situation last night. I'm glad they were supporting the cause in unity. That's one thing that we're trying to represent. It was a bold move and no one (had) done it in the basketball world." Taylor notes no Pacers players said that they "were ready to follow the Fever in protesting the anthem." What they have "agreed on is to have multiple conversations about the issues and whether they want to protest as a team before their preseason opener on Oct. 4." Pacers coach Nate McMillan said that he "planned on addressing his team next week after training camp starts." McMillan: "For us right now, we'll figure out what the NBA's protocol is and they'll send that to us in the next few days." Turner said that he "appreciated McMillan for wanting to be proactive with his players before the season starts" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 9/23). ESPNW.com's Mechelle Voepel wrote under the header, "WNBA Players Should Be Applauded For Taking A Stand On Issues." All the league's players who are "speaking out and peacefully protesting the mistreatment of black citizens in this country" deserve support. Like other athletes who are doing this, they "hope to spark not just dialogue, but substantive changes that are necessary" (ESPNW.com, 9/22).

BEING THE CHANGE: In S.F., Connor Letourneau notes Warriors President of Basketball Operations & GM Bob Myers and coach Steve Kerr recently "brainstormed ways to raise awareness of social injustices." Among the ideas is a "panel of civic leaders, a list of names for which already has begun." Myers: "We need to practice to play basketball. But if one day, Steve walked in and said to (our players), ‘We’re not practicing today. We’re actually gonna go meet with these four people.’ That’s much more important and the players, we feel, will carry that with them" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 9/23). In Toronto, Doug Smith writes it was "no surprise" that the NBA and NBPA would be "proactive with the season just around the corner." They "know that some kind of actions by players is coming." Smith: "I don't imagine there will be repercussions, the NBA has long supported its players as they take stands on societal issues. ... The league will be supportive this time around, I am sure." However, the important thing in all of this is that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts are "urging players and franchises to reach out even more into their communities to either calm turbulent waters or begin conversations so that the murders that seem to happen every week somehow stop" (TORONTO STAR, 9/23).

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