The Nets on Thursday night during the National Anthem "stood in a straight line across the court with their arms around each other's shoulders," while their opponent, the Pistons, "stood in the same manner with their arms interlocked," according to Peter Botte of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Nets G Jeremy Lin said, "This isn’t anti-cops, this country needs cops. This isn’t anti-minorities, this country needs minorities. This is what makes our nation great. We need both, we need compassion ... we need more sympathy where guys take the time to really put themselves in somebody else’s shoes" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/7). Lin said that the Nets "don't just want to show unity at games." ESPN N.Y.'s Mike Mazzeo noted they are in the "process of figuring out how to act on it as a community." Lin added that the team had "discussions about what they were going to do Thursday night after their morning shootaround." Lin: "We as an organization want to be able to do things in the community going forward to be able to promote the same message. We want to actually do something more and be more proactive about it, which we're talking about internally" (ESPNNY.com, 10/6).
COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION: Wizards G Bradley Beal said his team’s decision to lock arms Tuesday night during the National Anthem was a “peaceful protest.” He said, “I’m not in favor of what’s been going on in the country, what’s been going on in recent past or the retaliation on both ends. There’s a lot of things we need to get better at as a country, individually and together as a whole because nothing’s perfect and everything is pretty corrupt now” (WASHINGTON POST, 10/6). In DC, Cindy Boren noted since the NBA preseason began Saturday, the Raptors, Knicks, Rockets, Celtics, Lakers, Wizards and Kings are among teams that have linked arms “as they stand together” for the playing of the anthem. Anthem protests "are tricky” for NBA players, as the league has “long held a rule stating that players, coaches and trainers are to stand and line up along the sidelines or on the foul line” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/5).
HOLDING FISTS: ESPN's Jalen Rose said of NBA players locking arms in unity during the National Anthem, "I'm happy that it's taking place. The thing that also stands out to me, it does represent what is called a passive protest and while I'm acknowledging the difference is in the NFL, where Colin (Kaepernick) initially sat for the Anthem, we've seen other players in that league do as such. That all falls into that category. When you raise your fist as a sign of black unity and power ... for those that may feel a certain level of support and faith in our flag, that same thing occurs for those who raise that fist" ("Jalen & Jacoby," ESPN, 10/5).
