As the NBA season begins and COVID-19 cases increase, it likely will be harder to keep social justice issues front of mind, but Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said players, coaches, GMs and owners "will not let this go," according to David Aldridge of THE ATHLETIC. Popovich said of the league's commitment to social justice, "There’s not one team or one ownership group that is not involved in this, and obviously in concert with the league and the Players Association. It will continue to be an emphasis, obviously as it should be." NBPA Exec Dir Michele Roberts said that the union and league "were in the process of hiring executive teams to run both the NBA Foundation and the Players’ Coalition, to allow those organizations to begin doing work in communities without having to depend on or wait for player- or coach-driven leadership as their seasons begin and their free time evaporates." Aldridge noted the league and players "may have to focus more on the mundane work of lobbying, as well." Wizards G Bradley Beal said, "There’s a lot of things we need to dive into as a society, and I think us as a PA, as a league, we’re going to continue to push those narratives, regardless if people say the (television) ratings are down. We don’t really care about that. We’re going to continue to push the narratives" (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/14).
WORKING FOR CHANGE: In Boston, Gary Washburn reports Celtics G Jaylen Brown is "working on an effort to change the name of Wheeler High School, his alma mater, in Marietta, Ga." Joseph Wheeler was a Confederate general in the Civil War. Brown said that he "wants to continue his social justice crusade, and that he wasn’t moved by the recent election results" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/15).
