Sports players as of late have been exercising their rights and bringing awareness to racial injustice in America by taking a knee rather than standing for the national anthem. However, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver does not encourage it, and hopes that players from all 30 teams will choose to stand for the national anthem when the season begins next week.
“I don’t know if the players are organizing anything,” Silver said at the NBA board of governors meeting. “All I can say is what we have seen in multiple preseason games so far is our players standing for the national anthem. It would be my hope that they continue to stand for the national anthem. I think that is the appropriate thing to do.”
Silver said the NBA may be the organization in best position to significantly impact the U.S. social climate given the diversity of the players and staff.
“There may be no organization in our society better positioned than the NBA and its players to try and have an impact on these difficult issues plaguing many of our cities. So aside from discussions around the anthem, it is my expectation that as we move beyond the collective bargaining [negotiating] process, that we and the players together will continue to address these issues and look for opportunities where we can really make a difference.”
Over the weekend, singer and Black Lives Matter supporter Denasia Lawrence decided to kneel as she took the sang the national anthem at a NBA preseason game between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers. The Miami Heat organization issued a statement saying they were unaware of her plan prior to taking the stage.
