Last Friday, a group of 80-plus NBA and WNBA players participated on a conference call to discuss opinions on the pros and cons of returning to play.
Several high-profile NBA players, including Kyrie Irving, Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony expressed reasons why they believe the NBA should not return at this time — ranging from concerns over the risks associated with playing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, to fears that returning to play would distract from the protests against racial injustice happening across the United States.
Ed Davis, who plays for the Utah Jazz — one of the 22 NBA teams scheduled to congregate at Disney World for an eight-game finish to the COVID-19-shortened regular season — has since offered a dissenting opinion, and a reminder that the league’s big-name stars do not speak for its player base as a whole.
“It’s easy for a guy like Kyrie (Irving) to say that he’ll give everything back (for social reform), but would he really give everything back?” Davis told Hoops Hype in a Q&A published Monday. “It’s easy for Dwight Howard to say that we don’t need to play when he’s in Atlanta in his $20 million mansion. But there are other guys on the rosters who need this money to provide for whoever they’re taking care of and things like that.
“It’s easy for the superstars in the league to say this and how they feel about this and that. But it means a lot more when it comes from the role players and the guys that (aren’t stars). There are so many different perspectives because there are so many different levels in the NBA. Like I said, it’s so easy for the superstars to say, ‘Let’s just not play,’ and they’re good. But some guys can’t just do that.”
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Conversations about systemic racism and racial injustice have been brought to the forefront of public conversation worldwide in the weeks since George Floyd, an unarmed Black man in Minneapolis, was killed by a white police officer who kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes. People, including many professional athletes, have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and to honour the numerous people of colour who have lost their lives due to the racist actions of others.
During Friday’s call, Irving was reportedly among the most vocal advocates for the NBA pumping its brakes on any return-to-play plan.
“I don’t support going to Orlando,” Irving said, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. “I’m not with the systematic racism and the (expletive). Something smells a little fishy. I’m willing to give up everything I have (for social reform).”
Davis offered a different point of view, one that considers the impact NBA players could have with the money they would generate by playing. Through conversations with his teammates, he’s also reached the belief that it is all-but-certain the league will resume this summer.
“Us taking a stand and not playing, that’s not the answer,” Davis said. “There’s too much money that would be lost that can really help a lot of people and feed people who are in these poverty-stricken places and crazy environments. We can take that money and do some great things with it. This is my opinion, but I just don’t think us protesting is the right answer.”
“…I’m about 99.9 per cent sure that we’ll finish the season. I know a couple guys from the Jazz have concerns, but in our group chat when we talk, everybody’s on board and we’re ready to play. We’re hoping that we can start doing contact stuff soon, so the team I play on, we’re ready to go.”
