Nuggets coach Michael Malone said that he and President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly are "in the process of setting up a town hall meeting with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock as well as representatives from Denver's police department," according to Mike Singer of the DENVER POST. Malone said that he "wanted his players involved, too, to create an actionable, productive discourse on how to improve race relations in the city." A Nuggets spokesperson said that the plan is in the "early stages," but that the goal is to "utilize the players' voices in a constructive fashion." Malone also underscored the "need to facilitate sustainable change." Malone: "That's my one hope is that it can't be just issuing a statement, it can't be just wearing a lapel pin when we start playing games. That is just surface. We have to have the courage to dig deep to really get to the root cause." The National Basketball Coaches Association created a committee on racial injustice to "help spearhead actions within NBA circles." NBA coaches Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce, Quin Snyder, Doc Rivers and JB Bickerstaff are "all on the committee, among others" (DENVER POST, 6/3).
FREE SPEECH ZONE: Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta said of his philosophy on speaking about social issues, “Speaking of an issue in America and speaking up on an issue that’s somewhere else in the world are two different matters. In America, we have free speech, and we can do whatever we want to do and say whatever we want and not be penalized because of it, and that’s why we all love this country.” But Fertitta added his group of businesses “should not be a political organization, because we have 60,000 employees and 100 million customers and we don't always agree." He added, "But when it comes to an issue like this in America, you sure should speak out and say exactly what you want. I encourage all my employees, from my basketball team to my restaurants to my hotels to my casinos, to speak out on this issue. Let's make this world better and this country better” (“Power Lunch,” CNBC, 6/2).
USING THEIR PLATFORM: Prominent basketball figures are addressing social injustice and unrest in media appearances, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar saying, "Racism and bias in our criminal justice system has been there ever since the Founding Fathers, and something has to be done." Abdul-Jabbar: "What was Colin Kaepernick demonstrating about? He was demonstrating about black people being killed unnecessarily by police officers. Now that was a peaceful demonstration. What did it get him? He was ostracized, he lost his job and he was blackballed" (“The Tonight Show,” NBC, 6/2). Abdul-Jabbar also said NBA owners "can try to get educational and financial opportunities for minority people in the cities where they have their franchise. Minority people and black Americans are often the last hired and the first fired. We can change that” (“Closing Bell,” CNBC, 6/2). Shaquille O'Neal said he has "seen outbreaks and riots before, but this is the first time I think the country is doing it all at the same time." O'Neal said young African-Americans "want equality, they want justice, and I understand." He added, "I'm all for peaceful protesting. I don't like the opportunists that are riding around in neighborhoods leaving bricks, trying to cause riots. I don't like people breaking into stores. I don't condone all of that, but I am for peaceful protest" (“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” ABC, 6/2).
