Election Day is upon us, and millions will make their way to the polls over the course of Tuesday to cast votes for various candidates, amendments, and propositions. The NBA is hopeful that a few more will be encouraged to do so thanks to efforts they’ve made in recent months to try and highlight the importance of voting.
Steve Kerr penned a column with the help of Chris Ballard for Sports Illustrated that ran Monday imploring people to go vote, highlighting the importance of using your voice as a citizen to champion whatever causes are important to you. Kerr noted that the Warriors had folks from Rock the Vote come to training camp this year to help players, coaches, and team staffers get registered to vote and explain the importance of voting.
One of those players that will be voting for the first time in a long time is Kevin Durant. Durant told ESPN that he hasn’t voted since 2008 and wasn’t “confident” about voting last election, but is now finding his political voice.
“I didn’t feel confident enough to vote in the last election,” the Warriors’ All-Star forward says. “I didn’t feel like I’d be doing the right thing if I voted for either one of those candidates. So now I feel like it’s a perfect time to let my voice be heard.”
ESPN’s Malika Andrews and others spoke with a number of players and coaches about the increased political activism around the league and why more in the league have spoken out about the importance of voting this year. Clippers coach Doc Rivers has been wearing an “I am a Voter” pin on his suits this season, and noted he feels he and other African-Americans owe it to those that fought for the right to vote and have struggled (and continue to struggle) with voter disenfranchisement.
“I think we’ve lost the light on how hard it was just to be able to vote,” he says. “It really upsets me. It’s something we have to do. We have to register, and then we have to go vote.”
Pistons coach Dwane Casey echoed Rivers’ sentiments, while Robin Lopez said the 2016 election that saw Donald Trump become president served as “a wake-up call” for many. LeBron James has become one of the most visible proponents of voting and speaking out on political and social issues, and says he’s not necessarily trying to set a trend but to just do what’s right and what he believes he should do — but if it encourages others around the league to speak up then he’s happy to have that effect.
Election day is important, and hopefully you’ll make your way to the polls, if you haven’t already voted early or with an absentee ballot, and let your voice be heard because it does matter, as many around the NBA have learned right along with the rest of us.
