It wasn’t easy, but NBA players made right call
The NBA players return to the court Saturday, and the timing sounds right. So does the quality of the players’ leadership. There’s no question about the leaguewide outrage over police brutality in this country, but getting to this point — a resumption of play, instead of abandoning the season — was no easy task.
As late as Wednesday night, the Lakers and Clippers — quite possibly the two teams most equipped to win the championship — were bailing out. LeBron James reportedly stormed out of a heated players meeting, and considering the weight of his influence, that was an ominous sign for Commissioner Adam Silver and everyone who worked so hard to construct the Orlando bubble.
As it turns out, James was mostly upset that the Milwaukee Bucks had decided to boycott Wednesday’s game without spreading the word among other teams or coming up with a “where do we go from here” plan, according to reports. The NBA is all about unity, and this left the impression of an awkward split. Players around the league are crediting Chris Paul, head of the players union, and Andre Iguodala, the union’s highly respected vice president, for turning the conversation toward its ultimate outcome.
By the following day, LeBron had changed his mind. The Lakers and Clippers were back on board with the only decision that made sense: In essence, “We’ve come too far. Made too many sacrifices to play through a pandemic. Staying together gives us the ultimate platform for the cause of social change, with maximum media exposure. Don’t lose the grip on the momentum we’ve built.”
Just about everywhere outside the White House, where the president and his aides have dismissed the need for police reform and ridiculed the players for venturing into politics, the residue of the Bucks’ decision was stunning and inspirational. By Wednesday’s end, all of the NBA and WNBA games had been postponed, as well as three MLB games, and the repercussions were felt across many sports over the next two days. (The WNBA resumed play Friday.)
In announcing Saturday’s resumption, the league and players released a joint statement in the spirit of collaboration — the two sides planning to work together on initiatives to promote voting access, advocate police reform and continue the fight against racial inequality. Which is exactly the players’ strongest desire: to the spirit of change and take concrete steps toward that end , not vanish into the neverending news cycle after a few very meaningful days.
Some things to consider:
If the owners collectively agree to participate in any such initiative, there will be shades of reluctance. ESPN insider Zach Lowe wondered if “something of a public reckoning is coming for team governors whose politics (and political donations) stand in stark and obvious opposition to those of something like 90% of players. It has been the elephant in the NBA’s room for a long time. It’s not a secret. But if players (and coaches, and staff ) start naming them, and forcing them into substantive discussions, the resulting dialogue could be important.”
The WNBA’s answer to the NBA’s powerful leadership is Nneka Ogwumike, the 30yearold former Stanford star who has led the players union’s executive committee since October 2016. From its inception, the league has fought relentlessly against social injustice on every front. It’s a league full of strong, powerful women who represent talent, sacrifice and dedication, including longtime star and activist Sue Bird, who told reporters, Ogwumike “has that aura about her. She’s proven that she can get things done. I think she will go down as the person who changed the trajectory, changed the direction of the WNBA.”
James is pushing his “More Than a Vote” campaign on a national level, and Paul has been relentless in demanding that the players do their part. “Yet it was said during the meeting,” according to The Undefeated, “that only about 20% of all NBA players are registered to vote.”
Don’t underestimate the financial implications of players abandoning the season. They stood to lose between 1535% of their salary if that were to happen, and as much as Silver “wholeheartedly” supports the players’ every move so far, there would be pressure from a league standing to lose millions in TV revenue without playoffs. Insiders strongly believe the NBA would cancel the collective bargaining agreement and lock the players out of next season until new terms were negotiated.
Everyone’s watching the Bucks to see if they can satisfy Giannis Antetokounmpo’s gut instinct to stay with the franchise — or take a disillusioned adventure into free agency. What’s going through his mind now? Was he fully on board with the boycott decision? And how does he feel about Milwaukee, just 32 miles from Kenosha, where Jacob Blake took seven shots in the back? Would Giannis heed Harry Edwards’ advice (in a Chronicle interview) and refuse to participate in future games in Wisconsin until state leaders mobilize behind reform? Or does he start wondering about a change of scene?
It’s safe to say a number of players wanted to just go home, for many reasons. The bubble experience has been difficult for those who miss their families, friends and loved ones. For those with connections in California or the Gulf Coast, it’s troubling to be so disconnected from destructive fires or an approaching hurricane. Even as this bold experiment succeeds, some feel a pervasive anxiety over being infected with the coronavirus. One of the league’s top players, the Clippers’ Paul George, admitted feeling “lost” and “depressed” in Orlando’s disquieting atmosphere and mentally “checked out” of three playoff games against Dallas before seeking help from the team psychiatrist.
Moreover, not everyone has the conviction to “be on the front lines,” as the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown implored, and take direct action in their local neighborhoods instead of “just going home to hang out.” But here’s what everyone hears, loud and clear, from James: “Why does it always have to get to the point where we see the guns firing?”
Don’t even think of putting an “asterisk” on this season. Whoever wins the championship will have overcome unprecedented levels of distraction. Forget comparisons to the Warriors, Lakers, Celtics and other great teams of the past, all in a separate category. It will be a monumental achievement that stands alone, unassailable in its scope.