Kenny Smith Walks Off 'Inside the NBA' Broadcast in Solidarity With Players

Smith left the set during Wednesday's show: "As a Black man, as a former player, I think it’s best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight."

As the NBA postponed Wednesday's slate of playoff games following the protest from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Inside the NBA crew quickly shifted gears to fill the time slot and discuss the developing situation.

@Rachel__Nichols via Twitter

During the broadcast, Kenny Smith stood up from the desk and left the studio in support of the players.

.@TheJetOnTNT stands with the NBA players. pic.twitter.com/39Sby1D5kn

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 26, 2020

"For me, I think the biggest thing now is to kind of—as a Black man, as a former player—I think it’s best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight," Smith said before removing his microphone and walking off.

Smith's decision drew support from around NBA circles, including from Hall of Famer and 11-time champion Bill Russell:

I’m moved by all the @NBA players for standing up for what is right. To my man @TheJetOnTNT I would like to say Thank you for what you did to show your support for the players. I am so proud of you. Keep getting in good trouble. @NBAonTNT @ESPNNBA @espn #NBAPlayoffs ✊🏿

— TheBillRussell (@RealBillRussell) August 26, 2020

The Bucks decided ahead of Wednesday's Game 5 against the Orlando Magic to not take the court. Shortly after the team's decision, the league postponed the two other playoff games scheduled for Wednesday.

The decisions has created a larger discussion about the future of the NBA playoffs. On Tuesday night, the Celtics and Raptors talked about sitting out Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, currently scheduled for Thursday. All players still in the Orlando bubble will join a meeting Wednesday night to discuss how to proceed, per SI's Chris Mannix.