The NBA Players Association has issued a statement following the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents in Minneapolis.
The text of the statement follows:
New York, Jan 25, 2006 — Following the news of yet another fatal shooting in Minneapolis, a city that has been on the forefront of the fight against injustices, NBA players can no longer remain silent.
Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.
The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.
The NBPA and its members extend our deepest condolences to the families of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, just as our thoughts remain focused on the safety and well-being of all members of our community.
In the aftermath of Pretti’s death on Saturday, the NBA postponed a matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. It was rescheduled for Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Good was shot in her car by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026, while Pretti was killed on Saturday.
On Sunday, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch addressed the shootings hours before the rescheduled game was set to begin. His statement is below.
“For the second time in less than three weeks, we've lost another beloved member of our community, in the most unimaginable way,” Finch said. “Now, as an organization, we are heartbroken for what we are having to witness and endure and watch, and we just want to extend our thoughts, prayers, and concern for Mr. Pretti, the family, all the loved ones, and everyone involved in such an unconscionable, situation in a community that we really love, full of people who are, by nature, peaceful, and prideful. And you know, we just stand in support of our great community here.
“Also, I’d like to extend to the leadership, Adam Silver, Matt Caldwell, Tim Connolly, and the Golden State Warriors, our thanks for the decision yesterday, because playing basketball just didn't feel like the right thing to do. And hopefully we can play today, move forward, but, uh, you know, we feel like we got a lot of work to do. Thank you very much.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Players Association Releases Statement After Fatal Shootings in Minneapolis.
