The NBA and its players have been clear that the ongoing bubble in Orlando to wrap up the 2019-20 season is being done with an eye on promoting various causes relating to social justice. Whether it’s been sizable donations, acts of non-violent protest before games, or stressing that the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor have not yet been arrested, those in the bubble have made it clear that they do not want this to serve as a distraction from the current moment. Instead, the goal has been to use the attention that the NBA has been afforded during its restart to keep all of this in the public eye.
Chris Paul made this clear on Wednesday night following the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 105-86 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Paul, the president of the Players Association and someone who has been instrumental in putting the bubble league together, spoke to Rachel Nichols about how the focus on social justice has gone. While he was complimentary of the work that everyone has been doing, the soon-to-be Hall of Fame inductee made it clear that everyone will keep their foot on the gas.
"We're just gonna keep it going … continue to keep Breonna Taylor's name out there, supporting our WNBA women out there."
Chris Paul says the job isn't finished with sharing social justice messages. (via @Rachel__Nichols) pic.twitter.com/EBt4lqPocK
— ESPN (@espn) August 6, 2020
“Going pretty well, but we’re just gonna keep it going, you know what I mean?” Paul said. “I think guys are coming together, starting to feel like we’ve got a lot of things in common, trying to encourage people to vote, continue to keep Breonna Taylor’s name out there, keep supporting our WNBA women out there, and just keep educating ourselves and learning as we go.”
Paul’s comments came several hours after the league, in conjunction with the NBPA, announced that its Board of Governors will donate $300 million over the next decade to the NBA Foundation. The goal of the donation is to create “greater economic empowerment in the Black community.”
