Washington Wizards All-Star guard Bradley Beal revealed he did not anticipate the Milwaukee Bucks leading a number of boycotts last week following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

However, Beal said he was pleasantly surprised by the Bucks choosing to take the lead, with the rest of the teams still in Orlando following suit (via Dorothy Gentry of the New York Times).

“I was surprised initially,” the Wizards guard,said in a phone interview. “But at the same time, you had no other feelings but respect, joy and this mind-set of: ‘That’s the right move. It’s the only move.’

“They set the example, and the rest of the league followed,” continued Beal, who is not at the N.B.A. restart in Florida because of an injury. “That just shows how much of a league we are, how much we pride ourselves on being more than just ballplayers.”

Milwaukee's initial decision not to play sparked a player-wide conversation about how best to go about completing — or not completing — the 2019-20 season.

Players held meetings in which they discussed both whether they would continue playing as well as potential plans of action. The NBPA then met with the owners to sketch out potential initiatives moving forward.

Some players are skeptical the owners will keep to action plans. However, it would seem the players — who have been unafraid to speak up — have the leverage. After all, like Bradley Beal, a lot of NBA players have have demanded change.

Beal has been very active in the pursuit of social justice, as he has also been outspoken about voting. Moreover, he and Wizards teammate John Wall previously led a Juneteenth protest in Washington, D.C.

It would seem that Beal, the Wizards and his contemporaries in the NBA will keep social justice measures at the forefront going forward.