In an unprecedented move, the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott Wednesday night's NBA Playoffs matchup against the Orlando Magic to raise awareness for the shooting of Jacob Blake. Shortly after Milwaukee made this decision, Utah Jazz standout Donovan Mitchell got on the phone with Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James to talk about their next course of action.
The Jazz’ Donovan Mitchell was on the phone with LeBron, and with Jayson Tatum, among others, to talk through next steps.
Multiple players throughout the league were either surprised, or frustrated, or both by the Bucks’ decision to protest without telling anyone else — not the Magic nor any other team.
An unarmed Blake was shot multiple times in his backside by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin. According to police reports, the officers were dispatched to investigate a domestic incident. Blake was left hospitalized and paralyzed from the waist down as a result of his injuries.
LeBron James, who has been a leading voice throughout the Black Lives Matter movement and beyond, was livid when he learned that another unarmed black man was shot — this time in front of his family.
FUCK THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 26, 2020
Donovan Mitchell has played exceptionally-well for the Jazz throughout the playoffs. He saluted the Bucks' decision to boycott Wednesday night's NBA games:
WE DEMAND CHANGE! SALUTE @Bucks ✊🏾🙏🏾🗣
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) August 26, 2020
“It’s really disappointing,” Donovan Mitchell said of Blake's shooting, via The Salt Lake Tribune. “It’s tough, man. I just want this [expletive] to stop, to be completely honest with you.”
“As an African American male, and having my sister and mom and my dad and my friends and family not know, when does it stop?,” the young NBA star added. “When do we feel comfortable? When do we feel safe?”
Coaches, players and officials from the remaining teams inside the NBA's bubble complex met on Thursday morning to vote on whether or not to resume the season. The vote passed, but it's not clear when play will actually resume. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, play could resume as early as Friday, or it may be this weekend.
The resumption of playoff games could come as soon as Friday, but there is expected to be a return to this season by the weekend, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/A2PazNKDhy
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020
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