Donovan: There are Things Bigger Than Basketball
Before game four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, Billy Donovan pulled his team together to discuss the shooting of Jacob Blake. Blake, a 29-year-old black man, was shot seven times in the back by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
According to family attorney Ben Crump, Blake's chances of being able to use his legs again are not good. "The medical diagnosis right now is that he is paralyzed."... "It is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr. To ever walk again."
The deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor are still weighing heavily only players' minds, and now with this latest incident, there is talk of a boycott. While some may want the Thunder to focus on the playoffs strictly, Donovan says, "there are things going on in our country that are bigger than basketball."
"When I set down and talk to a black man or someone I've worked with (a co-worker) or a player, and you hear the way they have to educate their kids about when they get pulled over by the police those are conversations I've never had with my children ever."
Donovan also says that the Thunder was hoping to be a source of inspiration for the country when they decided to come back and play after five and a half months off. Whenhe spoke to his team about Blake's shooting, it was to remind them that other things are going in the world.
"Because you're in the bubble, you get really caught up in your own world you don't really see a lot of news you're in a hotel room all day long it's really really difficult."..."I think sometimes as a coach; you have to talk to those guys about things that are going on away from basketball."
Donovan isn't the only coach using his voice to take a stand. After the Clippers win over Dallas Doc Rivers had this to say:
"We're the ones getting shot.".. "We're the ones that we're denied to live in certain communities."
"We've been hung."... "We've been shot."... "And all you do is keep hearing about fear."
"It's amazing why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back."... "It's really so sad."
"Like, I should just be a coach?"..."I'm so often reminded of my color."... "It's just really sad." "We got to do better." But we got to demand better."
There is no boycott at this time, but the NBA is unified in its stance. Its clear players are angry and want change if they have to stop playing to get that change, they seem more than willing to take that step.
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With more than 20 years of experience hosting local and national radio shows, Erik Gee is a fixture of Oklahoma sports media. He has covered the Oklahoma City Thunder for the past six seasons. He is also the co-host of the Pat Jones show on 97.1 The Sports Animal in Tulsa.
