National Basketball Association (NBA) players have condemned the systemic racism the U.S. is going through and joined the social unrest erupted over the shooting of unarmed civilian Jacob Blake by policemen in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell lit the fuse amidst the League playoffs and harshly criticized police brutality.
“Screw the games and playoffs! This is sick and is a real problem, we demand justice! It’s crazy, I don’t have any words but what the hell man! This is why we don’t feel safe!” he said,
His statement stirred up the unrest among players about the way the government and law enforcement treats Black communities in the United States.
Even though those who lead the NBA belong to a white elite, the vast majority of the league’s players are Black people. Also, statistics indicate that Black student-athletes have the worst graduation rates in the country.
One of the greatest players of all times, Los Angeles Lakers’ Lebron James, joined Mitchell’s claims for justice, and said that Jacob Blake was “exactly another Black man being targeted.”
“And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police! Someone, please tell me what the hell is this? This is so wrong and so sad! Feel so sorry for him, his family, and our people! We want Justice,” he claimed.
On Sunday, violent protests erupted in Kenosha after citizens saw a video in which police officers shot seven times at Blake as he was leaning into his vehicle, from where his three kids witnessed the shooting
