Sports: Connecticut Sun host the New York Liberty tonight
Racially charged violence hits home for WNBA players
Mohegan — Jasmine Thomas was born in Fairfax, Va. She played basketball in the “Cougar Den” at Oakton High School of Vienna, Va.
What happened in Charlottesville last Saturday hits home hard for Thomas, literally and figuratively.
“It just looks like it's not 2017 every time I'm watching the media coverage of it,” said Thomas, the Connecticut Sun's All-Star point guard and leader.
Connecticut plans to take a moment to honor the victims of the Charlottesville violence and stand against bigotry and racism before Friday's game against the New York Liberty at Mohegan Sun Arena (MSG, 7).
The WNBA sent out a memo to its teams, according to Doug Feinberg of the Associated Press, said that it's "suspending the national anthem protocol (which entails lining up in a dignified posture along the foul lines during the playing of the national anthem) beginning (Wednesday) and ending Aug. 25.”
The memo also said the league was allowing it in order to support the players as they express themselves. It was done at the request of Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks, the president of the players' union.
"When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up,” players from Los Angeles and the Washington Mystics said in a statement before Wednesday's game.
“You have to say something; you have to do something."
Los Angeles and Washington play-
ers locked arms a center court before their game. The Minnesota Lynx and Seattle Storm did the same before their game late Wednesday night.
“That's kind of what we're kind of planning to do,” Thomas said. “We love to stand in solidarity with the league when we've all chosen that we need to make a statement. … We felt that's a good way to do it.”
Sun coach Curt Miller said that they had not spoken about it yet with the New York Liberty as of early Thursday afternoon.
Thomas is among a few players from the DMV, the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region. Reserve post Lynetta Kizer is from McLean, Va. Brionna Jones, a fellow reserve post, is from Havre De Grace, Md.
Thomas said that she has family all across Virginia.
“I've been talking to my family a lot,” Thomas said. “I'm from probably an hour away from Charlottesville. It's pretty sad to see (what happened).
“It's just something that we all have to try to get through. The more that we can bring out the love in everybody, the more we can just get past it.
“It's tough. It's hard not to deal with for many reasons in this league with our (demographics). We're predominately black, predominately women and minority as it comes. So it's tough for us. Any time we can speak out about it or make a statement, we absolutely take pride in doing that.”
Miller was the bearer of bad news for some players because not all them knew what happened in Charlottesville until he discussed it with them after Saturday's game.
“A lot of our team didn't realize it as they were focused on their game,” Miller said. “I wanted them to know that I was thinking about them and that I always have their backs if they were going to be vocal on social media.”
Miller later tried adding levity to a solemn conversation.
“On a lighter note, do I have the height to be able to lock arms with Bill Laimbeer or does my arm go more around his leg?” Miller said with regard to the Liberty's 6-foot-11 head coach.
“Well see how that goes.” n.griffen@theday.com