Nets’ message of team unity
Say they will speak as one on social issues
With a growing consensus among players to kneel during the national anthem when the NBA restarts — some expected to don unapproved messages supporting the Black Lives Matter protests — the Nets haven’t decided exactly what they’ll do Friday versus Orlando.
But locker-room leader Garrett Temple said Brooklyn will definitely make a statement, and whatever it is will be a unified one.
“Everybody may do something different, every team. Our team, whatever we do we’re going to do it as a team and make sure everybody’s OK with what we do,” Temple said. “But we will do something, and you all will see it when it happens.”
The NBA didn’t play the anthem before the 33 scrimmages, but the restart games begin in earnest on Thursday. And the Nets, who face Orlando a day later, have used their time in the Disney bubble to discuss social issues, like voting and the killing of Breonna Taylor.
“The best thing for us is the opportunity that we’re all together to collectively kind of go over things that need to change socially,” Joe Harris said. “The other day we were on a call with WNBA players with Michelle Obama talking about the importance of voting.
“There were 100-plus people on that call, both NBA and WNBA players. Things of that nature that really are spearheading what is going to enact real change. Collectively we’re able to do more together for sure being down here.”
The Nets have been among the more socially active teams and will continue to be, talking more about social justice than they have COVID-19. Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen have marched in protests, and every Net is expected to wear some sort of social justice message on their jerseys.
Jacque Vaughn donned a button Monday that read “Coaches For Racial Justice.” And when he returned to his Grand Floridian hotel room the other day, he found the book “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” waiting for him.
“It’s an ongoing conversation that continues to be at the forefront of how we live in today’s world,” Vaughn said. “It’s my responsibility to continue to have it as an active conversation. So whether it’s a one-on-one conversation with the individual or presenting something to the group, it will continue to be a part of our organization going forward.”
Temple, a players association vice president, said the Nets have actually talked more about social issues than COVID-19 concerns.
“We haven’t talked about COVID much at all. We’ve talked about Breonna Taylor, Black Lives Matter things we see as things that need to be changed. Much more talk about those things: Bringing Breonna Taylor’s killers to justice, things of that nature,” Temple said. “The NBA has done a great job of keeping us safe in the bubble.
“The COVID pandemic happened and then the race pandemic was pushed to the forefront thankfully, eventually, finally. … But there are so many things going on in this world that are so much more important than basketball. We need to make sure that while we focus on basketball while we’re on the court, we need to focus on the rest of the stuff while we’re off the court.”
The numbers bear Temple out about the safety in the bubble. Florida is a coronavirus hot spot, and though 16 of the 33 Marlins who traveled to Philadelphia last weekend tested positive, not a single one of the 344 NBA players tested inside the bubble since July 20 has.
“[The Marlins mess] is a clear warning of staying vigilant and practicing all the protocols,” Vaughn said. “The NBA has done an unbelievable job of setting the format and the guidelines, and it’s up to the individuals to respond to those guidelines in a respectful and mature way.”