NBA Players To Resume 2020 Playoffs After Reports Of Boycotting Season Over Jacob Blake Shooting

NBA Players Call For Justice Amid Jacob Blake Shooting, Lakers & Clippers Vote To Boycott Season, LeBron James Tweets ‘F*** This, We Demand Change!

Update #2: NBA players reportedly decided today (August 27th), that they will continue the season. According to reports, the NBA said the three playoff games scheduled for Aug. 27 will hopefully be played in the coming days. NBA Executive Vice President Mike Bass said:

“NBA playoff games for today will not be played as scheduled. We are hopeful to resume games either Friday or Saturday”.

While the NBA recently returned from hiatus after a break due to COVID-19, the season could be on hold again. This time, some players have boycotted playoff games amid the police shooting of an unarmed black man, Jacob Blake, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee Bucks were the first to boycott their game against the Orlando Magic Wednesday night (Aug. 26th). The league then reportedly scheduled a meeting to decide how to proceed. The meeting reportedly went on for three hours and ultimately, L.A. teams Lakers and Clippers voted to boycott all remaining games, while the other teams voted to move forward with the season, according to The Athletic reporter, who added that Lakers star LeBron James left the meeting.

LeBron James also took to Twitter and made it clear he is “demanding change.”

Just days before, he spoke on the shooting that left Jacob Blake paralyzed from the waist down. He said in a post-game interview:

“Having two boys of my own and me being African American in America, and to see what continues to happen with the police brutality towards my kind, continue to see what goes on with the injustice – it’s very troubling.”

Kenny Smith, a host on “NBA on TNT” also walked off the set to stand with the players Wednesday (Aug. 26th).

The NBA wasn’t the only league to demand justice for Jacob Blake.

Tennis star Naomi Osaka announced that she was pulling out of the tournament semifinals scheduled for today (Aug. 27th).

Major League Baseball teams Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds also boycotted their game on Wednesday (Aug. 26th).

A Major League Soccer match between Inter Miami and Atlanta United was pushed back. The WNBA also postponed three of its games.

What do you think of professional sports teams boycotting games to demand justice for Jacob Blake? Comment and let us know!

 

Authored by: C.J.