Why America Needs The NBA’s Call To Action: Pandemics, Jacob Blake, & Voting. — Writing On The Ball
Quarantanglement Part IV: Basketball Is Creating Assists For The Culture.
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.” President Nelson Mandela’s words ring true today like never before. Yet, why is the onus not on governments to tote the olympic torch for unifying messaging? Well, just listen to the leader of the Free World on COVID-19.
That’s right, 2 minutes of America’s Head Honcho hammering home how coronavirus will fade away faster than those New Year resolutions to lose weight. Taking the challenge personally, Rona renewed its U.S. gym membership and has been eating buffet-style all year. So who’s taking charge to turn this around?? White House on Line 1: What say you?!?
On second thought, let’s just hire a sports league as America’s head chef to cook up a three course meal on leadership as we tackle both Rona & racism simultaneously. Basketball is building bridges vs. barriers in 2020 thru critical assists for the culture.
The hardest thing about being an adult is making a decision. Adam Silver, Commissioner for the National Basketball Association, became one of the best leaders in sports by embracing this truth. As coronavirus started spreading its wings wider than a bald eagle, the bald headed commish calling shots for the Association made the decision that changed America. On March 11th 2020, the NBA was on shut down for Quarantanglement until further notice, becoming one of the first billion-dollar business to do so. The domino effect was apparent as many companies followed suit. A difficult decision but one that had to be made because coronavirus kept chipping away at the global census & cash flow.
Adam Silver showed what responsible leadership looks like by combining information with implementation, giving birth to the opportunity for something greater.
After the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, WI, the unrest began bubbling to the surface all over again. So much so, the Milwaukee Bucks protested their game 5 against the Orlando Magic in the NBA’s playoff bubble.
Prior to sitting out of their games, the WNBA doubled down on Mr. Blake’s behalf with “seven shots in the back” shirts, painting the vivid picture of police brutality.
Players protesting is powerful since they generate basketball’s billion dollar revenue and have influential platforms. Even more so, strategizing to create decisive action items like registering every player to vote, turning NBA arenas into voting centers, and seeking wise counsel from Barack Obama is how accountability for sustainable change occurs. Yet, there’s more work to be done on multiple fronts as this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Venturing into uncharted territory can be uncomfortable. As America’s 2020 GPS, basketball has helped the country navigate through these unprecedented times. The NBA bubble has been a successful incubator so far for playing basketball. Prior to Disney World hoops, the NBA Together Initiative was created in response to America’s Quarantanglement season using this 4-pillar approach:
Partnering with the World Health Organization and Center of Disease and Control, the NBA legitimized its pioneer-like position for COVID-19 relief efforts. Discussions between Warriors Superstar Stephen Curry & Dr. John Fauci about COVID-19 related risks continue to show why dialogue is extremely important during this time.
Here are some other plays executed by the NBA in 2020:
- $89 Million raised for pandemic relief
- 10.2 Million Masks to healthcare workers
- 7.5 Million Meals to at-risk and underserved communities
- Community testing for Orlando, Florida (Home of NBA Bubble)
Why is all this work important? For a league that’s 75% black, COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted black and brown communities more than any other ethnic group in America.
Rona’s favorite teammate, Racism, came off 2020’s bench catching alley-oops and creating instant offense. Actively playing defense against the pandemic duo, #NBATogether is a digital platform operating to circumvent the misinformation and junk science swimming in the social media’s swamp waters. The “Acts of Caring” Pillar provides additional material to tackle institutionalized racism such as Virtual educational resources for students, parents, and teachers. Assisting in the educational effort is NBA point guard Chris Paul’s HBCU kicks, highlighting America’s black institutions.
CP3’s shoes sheds light on the HBCU’s ability to produce professional talent like Howard alumnus and Vice-President nominee, Kamala Harris. We know that education is the foundation of knowledge, fueling you to aspire for power you can acquire.
That power has been perpetuated by the Pied Piper of NBA Players: LeBron James.
17 years of elite professional play positioned with a litany of philanthropic endeavors, LeBron James is the greatest athlete of my generation. When Bron leads, others follow. Creating “More Than An Athlete” , media empires and Klutch Sports, King James sits on sports throne of strategic thinkers. Despite that, his favorite personal achievement was building schools in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. I would concur but would say his next move could even become his best move.
LeBron’s “More Than A Vote” initiative has gotten cross-functional athletes involved like Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and track star Allyson Felix. By addressing this cause, LeBron is championing efforts to eradicate systemic racism’s stock in America. The same system attempting to eliminate the U.S. citizens’ most powerful voice: the electoral vote.
From the leadership of the NBA’s executives and elite point guards, the NBA has made valiant attempts to run coronavirus and racism out the gym. Adam Silver’s direction, WNBA’s precision, Steph’s conversation, CP3’s education, and LeBron’s collaboration have each played point guard in the fight against oppression.
By assuming such leadership responsibility, I salute the hard work and dedication of the NBA. If you have not yet registered to vote, click here to be apart of positive change. If we only got this level of commitment from the Commander in Chief position sans 140 characters on social media, we’d be cooking with gas! Echoing Mandela, it’s taking athletics to keep America United.
In 2020, where divisive tweets undermine task-oriented results, we’ll take it.
Thanks for tuning into the 4-part Quarantanglement series! If you missed any of it, check it out here: Part I-> Part II-> Part III.
Until next time, we gone!
Originally published at https://www.writingontheball.com on September 9, 2020.
