NEW ORLEANS—This city is getting predictable raves for its role in hosting the NBA’s marquee mid-season party, with a boisterous nightlife for those who want it, great food, and excellent facilities to host the game and the inherent festivities around it.
And it should always be remembered that the only reason the festival of hoops and parties is in New Orleans is because of the NBA’s leadership role in matters of social relevance.
The weekend was originally scheduled for Charlotte but after state leaders in North Carolina wouldn’t back down from what the league saw as an exclusionary law, HB2, aimed at the LGBTQ community, the league moved the event.
It was a bold move, a precursor to what the NBA is doing now, being proactive in larger, off-court societal issues, speaking out instead of remaining quiet on the side.
Silver has been driving the process, encouraging players, coaches and executives to speak out, to get involved, to try to affect change.
“I think, over the last 20 years or so, the community service that the league takes part in and leads is more than just lip service, it’s real,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “I think our players over the past couple of decades have really gotten involved in their communities and learned more about their communities and maybe it’s kind of a combination of all those things that have come together at a time when it feels necessary to speak out.”
Silver reiterated at his annual all-star address Saturday night that the league’s values are sacrosanct, especially when it comes to its marquee events like all-star weekend.
“What we’ve stated is that our values, our league-wide values in terms of equality and inclusion are paramount to this league and all the members of the NBA family, and I think those jurisdictions that are considering legislation similar to HB2 are on notice that that is an important factor for us,” he said.
HB2, a North Carolina house bill nicknamed the “bathroom bill,” forces transgender people to use the restroom that corresponds to the sex on their birth certificate.
Silver said he will continue to encourage players to express themselves.
“You’ve got to give credit to the commissioner for that, giving us the opportunity to have that freedom of speech when it comes to some things outside of sports,” DeMar DeRozan said. “I think that’s what brings the whole league together as one.”
The NBA is a leader among the big four North American pro leagues in encouraging its players to speak out on issues away from the game. It may not rub some people the right way — the “stick to sports” crowd is vocal — but it is necessary.
“That means that nobody is allowed to have a political opinion?” said Kerr, one of the most out-spoken critics of the American federal government. “It just so happens that we get these microphones stuck in our faces and we have a bigger platform, but it’s free speech and if you look at the history of the world, the biggest problems occur when people don’t speak. So I think it’s important to express your views.”
DeRozan understands the reach that athletes can have. Youngsters, and adults, who have no interest in politics tend to listen when athletes they follow speak out.
One of the first acts of social commentary from an NBA player came at the 2003 all-star game in Atlanta when Steve Nash wore a T-shirt with the slogan “No War. Shoot for Peace” emblazoned on it.
“A lot of people look up to us as athletes and if we say something or stand by something, people are going to listen,” DeRozan said. “That’s big, there are a lot of people who are in politics.”
Besides, as Kerr pointed out, it’s hardly new.
“If you look at the history of athlete’s involvement in social issues it has been most prominent at the most prominent times of need — the 60s and 70s, when you had Muhammad Ali and Bill Russell and Jim Brown, I mean, the civil rights movement and Vietnam. There were things happening that were powerful and chaotic and the times called for leadership. I think the same thing is happening now.”
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