Austin Rivers Credits Adam Silver, NBA Leaders For Player Empowerment
The NBA playoffs receive considerable interest from the public in a normal year, and that interest will only increase in the 2020 postseason. The league is attempting to pull off an extended quarantine in the middle of a global pandemic, and at the same time, its players are using their platform to speak out against racial injustice and police brutality. With a truly global audience, players across the NBA are stepping up.
Rockets guard Austin Rivers discussed the stream of players joining the fight against injustice on Monday. Rivers attributed the increased efforts to guidance and support from the NBA's top players, as well as commissioner Adam Silver.
"In light of everything's that happened for the bad, I think people have seen how much control us players really do have," Rivers told the media in a Zoom call on Monday. "And that goes to our leaders and our players and Adam Silver."
Rivers said the NBA is unique in promoting the social-justice causes and efforts of its players.
"All of us have voices, we are what makes the league what it is. I think if you look at any sports across the board, nobody has the voices like the NBA players do," Rivers said. "I'm very proud of that. I'm very thankful to be a part of that."
The NBA has initiated multiple social justice initiatives inside the bubble in Orlando. The league has painted "Black Lives Matter" on all three game courts at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, and players have been permitted to replace the name on their jersey with approved phrases supporting social justice.
The latter effort has drawn some criticism from players across the NBA, as only certain phrases were permitted by the league. Rivers and Rockets forward Robert Covington wanted to write "Trayvon" on their jerseys in honor of slain Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, but both players were denied in their request.
"I appreciate the NBA giving us an opportunity to change our last names on our jerseys. Small things like this can matter and go a long way," Rivers wrote on Instagram on July 6. "But the options are really limited. I'm from Orlando, Fla., 25 minutes away from where Trayvon Martin was innocently shot and murdered. To this day that anger and pain from that senseless hate crime still resonates in our country. But especially here in Orlando."
"Would love to honor him and his family and help keep his name alive and strong. I want Trayvon on my back as I head to go lace 'em up in Orlando. Would mean a little something to all the people down there, especially his family and friends. He's gone but not forgotten. All little things matter in this fight for BLM."
No Rockets players have committed to wearing a social justice message on their uniform in the NBA restart. Houston will resume its regular season on July 31 after a trio of scrimmages. The Rockets will hold their first scrimmage on Friday against the Raptors.
