Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has been active in the fight for social justice and equality in the wake of the killing of George Floyd and the consequent protests. The longtime NBA coach knows there's a lot that should change, but he knows it should start with those with the platform to be heard.
Casey's fellow colleagues, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, penned an op-ed along with Anquan Boldin, Demario Davis, and Andrew McCutchen to sound off on the racism and police brutality that have long plagued the United States.
Casey said the two white coaches using their platform to help black people is important:
“It starts with policy and it starts with our owners and players and a guy like Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr speaking out,” Casey told Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “If I say it, I’m just an angry Black man. We’ve got to get the majority to buy in and fight and help change policy.”
Police brutality and racism are like condiments that have been intertwined in the sausage that is the police department. In order to flush those out of its casing, white people like Kerr and Popovich have to do their parts helping the minority reform a system that has long abused its black citizens:
“Hopefully, these tough times and the murders that have unfortunately happened these last few months will be a lightning rod for change,” said Casey. “Whatever platform I have as a coach and players coming out here for the march can get the attention and keep the conversation going — for me, that’s most important, because it’s bigger than basketball.
“There’s always a risk, but there’s a risk for staying with status quo — with people being murdered for being Black.”
Casey was one of the 30-plus coaches in the National Basketball Coaches Association who denounced police brutality in the United States. As part of an inclusive league in the NBA, the 63-year-old has been at the forefront of helping devise ways to better his neighborhood, talking with Detroit police chief James Craig about helping to create a dialogue to bring racism and police brutality to an end.
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