The NBA world celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday with a full slate of games, and it offered an opportunity for players, coaches, and other league personnel to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy and the ongoing struggle for Civil Rights that persists today in America and around the world.
Gregg Popovich, who has in many ways become the league’s de facto moral compass on social and political issues, spoke candidly before the Spurs’ game against the Hawks in Atlanta, charting Dr. King’s impact on race relations in America and decrying the current racial divide, which he believes has been exacerbated by those in leadership.
Pop briefly touched on topics like the Voting Rights Act, the disproportionate incarceration rates among black people and other ethnic minority groups, and more before subtly taking aim at the president for his latest racially-charged remarks and the ensuing fallout.
https://twitter.com/KLChouinard/status/952976011502739456
“It’s insidious,” he said. “It’s still our national sin that we have to work on. And every time I hear somebody say they’re not a racist, you know they are.”
That latter statement was clearly in response to Donald Trump, who in the wake of widespread backlash for his offensive comments on African nations, told reporters on Saturday that he’s “the least racist person you have ever interviewed.”
You can always count on Pop for both wisdom and insight, as well as his searing indictments on the current administration. He’s never been shy about speaking on topics he’s passionate about, making himself a model of civic duty for those who have a platform and opportunity to spread a positive message than can be a catalyst for change.
