The Los Angeles Lakers are the leading favorites in the Western Conference to advance to the NBA Finals and play for a title, but at least one key player on the Lakers’ roster seems to be considering sitting out of the planned Orlando bubble environment in order to focus on fighting for social reform.
Following a conference call between NBA players last Friday, Lakers center Dwight Howard issued a statement and argued that the return of basketball would distract the country from a movement for social change.
Basketball, or entertainment period, isn’t needed at this moment, and will only be a distraction. Sure it might not distract us the players, but we have resources at hand majority of our community don’t have. And the smallest distraction for them, can start a trickle down effect that may never stop. Especially the way the climate is now. I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship. But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship, that’s just [too] beautiful to pass up. What better time than now for us to be focusing on our families.
…. No Basketball till we get things resolved.”
Howard has since walked back that last line, and in a statement given to The Athletic, emphasized that he and other players like Kyrie Irving are not in opposition to the season resuming. Howard writes that he hopes to “raise awareness and gain transparency on the things that concern [players] collectively,” and warned that some players “are afraid to voice their concerns and are continuing to follow along with what they believe they have to.”
Howard’s Lakers teammate LeBron James, it should be noted, was not on the conference call with players, and reportedly does not believe that the restart of the season will affect his ability to “inspire change.” Clippers guard Patrick Beverley tweeted over the weekend that if James says the league will return, players will play.
Howard has not yet indicated whether he plans to sit out or play, but says that no player has pressured any other player to either boycott the restart or to go to Orlando and play.
