Professional athletes using their voice to speak out on social and political issues isn’t a new thing (Muhammad Ali is one of the most famous athletes of all-time and no one spoke out more than him), but there has been a recent awakening of the social conscience of athletes that has led to a huge number of them standing up (or, more accurately, kneeling or sitting down) and speaking out and a combination of stars and role players doing so.
In the NFL, national anthem protests have become a part of many games each weekend, as players look to draw attention to injustices in the world. Those players have been criticized heavily and Colin Kaepernick, the man that really began the NFL anthem protest movement, remains jobless as a direct result of those protests.
In the NBA, it’s been stars like Kevin Durant and LeBron James leading the charge as numerous players have spoken out against Donald Trump as well as racial injustice and inequality in America. On Thursday, the NBA and the NBA Players’ Union took a major step in supporting their athletes in being socially conscious and feeling comfortable in speaking out by writing a joint letter.
The letter, obtained by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski encouraged players to use their voice and come to the league or the union for advice or for conversation about how to use their platform to speak on social issues. Wojnarowski included an excerpt of the letter, which reads as follows:
“None of us operates in a vacuum. Critical issues that affect our society also impact you directly. Fortunately, you are not only the world’s greatest basketball players — you have real power to make a difference in the world, and we want you know that the Players Association and the League are always available to help you figure out the most meaningful way to make that difference.”
It’s a strong statement and, as far as we know, one of the first times a league has encouraged players not to stick to sports with their commentary and to use their position and platform to bring social issues and concerns to light. It’s not as if players seemingly needed that encouragement, as we’ve heard from so many this summer, but it’s just a solid message of support from the league.
It’s also a stark contrast in the way the NBA and its union operate in relative harmony compared to the divisive relationship between the NFL and its union — which seems destined for a work stoppage in the future.
