Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Updated 2:02 PM ET, Thu August 27, 2020
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Since the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who was killed in police custody in May, many athletes and sports leagues have been throwing their support behind the protest movement calling for change.
The latest development came Wednesday when the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott their playoff game against the Orlando Magic. The Bucks were responding to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake, which happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, about 40 miles from Milwaukee.
“The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American communities,” the Bucks players said in a statement. “Citizens around the country have used their voices and platforms to speak out against these wrongdoings.
“Over the last few days in our home state of Wisconsin, we’ve seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha, and the additional shooting of protestors. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball.”
The NBA went on to postpone all three of its playoff games Wednesday, and other leagues followed suit: the WNBA, Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer all called off games.
Since the NBA restarted its season, the words “Black Lives Matter” have been prominently displayed on its court and players have been sporting social-justice messages on the backs of their jerseys. But they aren’t the only athletes who have been taking a stand.
