In an interview with The Oklahoman, former Oklahoma City Thunder player Anthony Morrow took the time to compliment point guard Chris Paul’s efforts in the NBA bubble.
“Chris has been exceptional, man,” Morrow said to the outlet. “He takes on a lot of responsibility. That’s who he is.”
Paul, as the president of the National Basketball Players Association, took on an integral role in helping to set up the bubble.
The union made clear that the ability and platform to speak about social justice reform would have to be available if the players were to agree to join the bubble, and that was approved by the league.
On Wednesday, players on six teams — including the Thunder — took a big step by going on strike and refusing to play in the games scheduled for that day.
The NBA responded by postponing the Wednesday and Thursday games.
The league’s Board of Governors met Thursday morning, and Paul spoke with Hornets owner Michael Jordan to discuss player demands.
“I’ve been knowing Chris since we were young, and he’s always been that kind of leader, that take-charge kind of guy,” Morrow said. “He’ll get under your skin to get the job done, and I respect that. And I respect how he’s handled all this. He’s not just a leader and a point guard on the floor, he’s a point guard off the floor.”
Morrow’s interview with The Oklahoman was expansive, ranging from if he would have played in the bubble to how he explained what is happening in the NBA to his 7-year-old son to his own thoughts on the societal issues.
“The only way that you’re going to wake this situation up and get real reform and real change is if these owners, specifically in cities that they have teams in, all come together and go to the politicians in those cities — the mayor, the sheriff’s department, chief of police,” he said.
“You gotta go to these people that have the power to make real change. You can’t just sit back and donate the money and say you did something for some foundation or organization.”
