Bucks gather to discuss shooting
Before and after Monday’s Game 4 against the Orlando Magic, members of the Milwaukee Bucks had plenty to say about the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha on Sunday. Coach Mike Budenholzer, players George Hill and Khris Middleton and the organization as a whole all shared their sentiments on the matter, all decrying how Blake had been shot in the back from close range while apparently unarmed.
Those comments all came before the Bucks had discussed the situation as a team. That moment came on Tuesday, when the Bucks assembled for a film session before practice in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Before they dug into the X’s and O’s of what occurred in Game 4 and how they need to prepare for Game 5 at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Budenholzer facilitated a discussion during which the Bucks delved into their feelings about what happened to Blake as well as the larger movement toward achieving social and racial justice in the United States.
Everyone had the opportunity to say something, with center Brook Lopez detailing how guard Wesley Matthews, as well as assistant coaches Darvin Ham and Vin Baker in particular, made good points during the conversation.
“I think the most important thing, the consensus was just not being complacent in these times,” said Lopez, who later said he was “torn” about being in the bubble while bigger societal issues are happening elsewhere, out of reach to NBA players.
“Just because we’re in the playoffs in the bubble, there’s obviously so many more important things going on right now and this is huge. It’s a cultural moment where we all have to continue to be vigilant, continue to use our platform when we can to speak out against injustices like these, to speak for the people who can’t and we can’t stop doing that.”
Following Monday’s game, Hill was resolute in saying the Bucks and NBA players as a whole should never have gone to Walt Disney World to restart their season. He believes playing basketball was taking the focus off more important topics like systemic racism, police violence and social injustice.
If there is a conclusion to be drawn from Tuesday‘s team meeting, it’s that Hill isn’t alone in having that view within the locker room.
“I think it was said by multiple people there’s nothing more important than getting social justice and getting the wrongs that are happening in our country right and creating real and lasting change,” Budenholzer said. “There’s literally nothing more important.”
Budenholzer went on to say that there is a place for basketball and that being in front of microphones every day provides NBA players and coaches with a platform.
As far as basketball goes, the Bucks are in the midst of the most important time of the season in a year Milwaukee is among the favorites to win the title.
If the minds of so many players and coaches are on things that aren’t basketball, do Blake’s shooting and other incidences of police violence that have spawned widespread protests this summer distract the Bucks?
“I don’t think it’s a distraction because it’s where our focus should be,” Lopez said. “Our guys are going to be focused on playoffs, we’re going to go out there and do what we do, play for each other, you know, all our Bucks principles our Bucks culture, but in the scheme of things, this issue is where our No. 1 focus should be at the end of the day.
“Basketball is basketball, playoffs are playoffs ... but the focus needs to be on this issue. Day-to-day, in the long run, in the scheme of things, that’s where the focus should be.”