Carmelo says ‘no reason’ for women’s T-shirt
LAS VEGAS — Carmelo Anthony is on a roll.
While announcing his Olympic-team “town hall meeting” he is staging in Los Angeles will be held Monday, Anthony continued his activist role regarding “Black Lives Matter” issues when he criticized the fines levied against politically minded WNBA players.
The NBA-run league has fined the Liberty, the Phoenix Mercury and Indiana Fever $5,000 each and their players $500 for wearing all-black warm-up shirts during pregame shooting drills, instead of their normal uniform tops. The players appeared to be wearing allblack shirts to protest recent police-involved shootings of black men.
“I don’t see no reason to fine them,’’ Anthony said before Thursday’s U.S. Olympic team practice at UNLV. “If anything you should want to support them. I don’t know details, but don’t see a reason to fine them.”
The Liberty have worn the black T-shirts four times.
“A bunch of teams did it,” Anthony said. “Everyone has their own freedom of speech if they decide to use the platform. I don’t see no reason for anybody to get fined. We did it [3 1/2 years ago after the Trayvon Martin shooting]. The NBA did it. The NBA was very supportive. I don’t see any difference in this matter.
“Right now the players have a very strong stance in what they believe in right now,” the Knicks’ All-Star forward added. “I don’t think anyone should be fighting that at this moment.”
Anthony has taken charge of the Olympic team as he gears up for a basketball record fourth Summer Games. And he continues his outspoken advocacy role over recent racial incidents. Anthony will suit up Friday at T-Mobile Arena when Team USA plays its first exhibition game against Argentina.
Earlier this week, Anthony said he was planning a
“town hall meeting” when the Olympic squad hits L.A. for more practices and an exhibition game. Anthony said the meeting, tentatively scheduled for Monday, likely will be an invitationonly event. Anthony said his “team’’ is in L.A. canvassing communities on what topics should be broached.
“Still organizing, [but] I don’t want to call it a town hall,” Anthony said. “I like to call it more a conversation. We want to get some of the local politicians. We want to get youth, kids, adults, officers, teachers, community leaders and athletes just there having this conversation and this talk. Both sides hearing each other out.’’
Anthony ratcheted up the dialogue two weeks ago in an Instagram essay the morning after five Dallas cops were murdered, which followed two separate incidents in which black men were shot dead by police.
Anthony said he believes Monday’s event would be more fruitful if done in private rather than allowing the media inside.
“I’d rather keep it closed,” Anthony said. “When you open it up to the public and cameras are there, people don’t feel comfortable speaking in those environments. If it’s closed, people feel more obliged to say what they feel. Kids and youth feel more comfortable away from the camera.”