Nets’ anthem singer kneels

NEW YORK — The national anthem singer at the Brooklyn Nets’ home opener took a knee at the end of her performance.

Justine Skye was nearing the completion of the song Friday night when she went to one knee for the finish.

There were some cheers, but appeared to be more boos from the crowd at Barclays Center to see the Nets play the Orlando Magic.

Skye, who is black, is a recording artist from Brooklyn for Roc Nation.

Players from both teams stood along the foul lines during her performance, as NBA players have continued to do. Unlike the NFL, where some players have followed Colin Kaepernick’s lead and taken a knee during the anthem, the NBA has a rule requiring players to stand.

“We recognize that tonight’s national anthem singer kneeled briefly at the end of her performance and we were not aware that she was going to do so,” a Nets spokeswoman said.

Skye posted a video of the performance on her Instagram account, writing that she was “pretty uneasy about singing the anthem and probably won’t ever be invited to sing it again but I had to take a knee for the opening game in my city and let my voice be heard.”

“We will not be silenced,” she wrote, #blacklivesmatter.

Skye isn’t the first anthem singer to make a statement during a performance.

In December in Philadelphia, Sevyn Streeter performed the anthem wearing a “We Matter” jersey before the 76ers’ game against the Los Angeles Lakers.