The Milwaukee Bucks demonstrated their commitment to social justice with a variety of decisions and gestures in their return to regular season action.
Although scrimmages have brought players from around the NBA back to the court over the past week or so, it’s only in the last couple of days that the regular season has officially resumed in the campus environment at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.
That means that with the spotlight truly shining on the NBA once again, players, coaches and other league personnel have the opportunity to voice their thoughts and demonstrate how they feel about the ongoing fight for social justice in the United States and around the world.
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With the Milwaukee Bucks getting their season underway again on Friday, there were countless examples of how the players and the team continued to pledge their support to the push for equality and greater societal change.
As the Bucks got set to go head-to-head with the Boston Celtics, both teams united in wearing Black Lives Matter warm-up shirts, and kneeling with arms interlocked as the national anthem played.
Immediately following on from that, the Bucks released an official statement via their social media channels:
"“The Milwaukee Bucks are committed to advancing social justice and equality for all. We stand in support of the players, coaches and employees as they exercise their First Amendment rights. The Bucks organization and our Diversity Leadership Council are working on making the community better through empowerment, education, and policy change. We continue to grow and improve an inclusive culture where differences are valued and celebrated.”"
Additionally, once the game got underway, every single Bucks player bore their chosen social justice message on the back of their jersey in place of their name, as they will for the remainder of the season.
Further emphasising that detail, the Bucks accompanied highlights shared on social media throughout the game with captions mirroring the relevant players’ chosen social justice message.
JUSTICE NOW#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/MqzA4761Aa
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 1, 2020
Prior to the plan coming together to formalize the season restart in Orlando, it was clear that one of the primary concerns for many players was to ensure that they would be afforded sufficient opportunity to speak out on racial inequality directly, and to continue to provide publicity and momentum to the events and protests of recent weeks and months.
That chance was afforded to the Bucks following their win over Boston, with Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo both using their interviews to speak to their chosen messages. Specifically, Lopez, who has opted to wear ‘Justice Now’ on his jersey, called for justice for Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and the “way too many names” in his interview with Zora Stephenson of Fox Sports Wisconsin.
If the Bucks continue their winning ways on the court, they’re likely going to be set for one of the longer stays of any team in Orlando. And with that, expect to see the players and organization continue to push for their voices and platform to be used to further the fight for justice and long overdue change.