National Basketball Association

What Athletes Are Really Saying

Updated Jul. 12, 2021 11:00 a.m. ET

By Charlotte Wilder

Every Friday since the NBA bubble kicked off in Orlando, I’ve rounded up silly things that happened off the court and called it The Bubble Report.

We’re not doing that today.

The Milwuakee Bucks kicked off a league- and sports-wide movement when they decided not to appear for their Playoff game against the Magic on Wednesday. The Bucks didn’t necessarily have a plan — they were just deeply affected by the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which isn’t far from their home city. Playing a basketball game was the least important thing to do.

The WNBA suspended play on Wednesday as well. So did all MLS teams that hadn’t yet played, and some baseball players also sat out games in solidarity. On Thursday, many baseball teams called off match-ups, the NHL suspended the Playoffs for a night, and several NFL teams canceled practices.

Sports seem like they’ll resume this weekend. But the return of games should make something clear to all fans — it is a true privilege to watch our favorite players.

I’m a sports fan like anyone else. I love to turn a game on and forget about my problems. But right now, being a fan means paying attention to athletes’ pain. And to the pain of millions of Americans.

If you don’t understand why games stopped — if your reaction is to say something about how athletes are paid millions and should take to the court or field without complaints — please listen to the Jaguars’ Chris Conley as he talks about police brutality.

"This is about life," he said. "This isn’t about priors. This isn’t about did he do this, did he do that, was he armed, or did he not do this, or that. This is about a life. And who are you to put a value on a life? Who am I to put a value on a life? We need to get to that baseline of saying that a life matters and has value beyond what his warrant was, what his circumstances were, what he looked like, what was going on, whether he listened or not.

"And that’s the baseline that I want to get to. That’s what frustrates me more. The people arguing that he deserved it. The people arguing that well, he should have this, he should have that.

"He shouldn’t have died. He shouldn’t have died."

Hear the Lakers’ Anthony Davis when he says, "It doesn’t stop."

Pay attention to LeBron James when he urges you to vote as he tries to stop voter suppression.

Sports have always been the biggest stage that athletes have been brave enough to use in the fight for social justice.

What they’re saying now is extremely urgent. Because in 2020, sports are among the last televised events left that people across the country and ideological spectrum watch at the same time. Games are some of the few common experience in an age when everything has become compartmentalized and political.

But we — fans, players — are all Americans. As the Mystics’ Ariel Atkins said, she and her teammates are so much more than basketball players.

Athletes fill our fantasy team rosters, design our favorite shoes; they bring us joy and distraction. Now, we have to hear their anguish. And understand it. And help end it.

I feel like a broken record, but the only thing that is going to make any difference right now is empathy and action. If we can’t put ourselves in other people’s shoes and then work for change, there’s no light at the end of this tunnel.

As Chris Conley said, it’s pretty simple. This is simply about honoring life.