Barack Obama approves of the NBA’s decision to boycott some of the postseason games.
On Wednesday (Aug. 26) night, the former President tweeted a video of an emotional Doc Rivers reacting to the sickening shooting of Jacob Blake and discussing how it is to be Black in America.
In his caption, he praised the head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and the rest of the league for “setting an example,” noting change would only be made if all institutions take a stand.
“I commend the players on the @Bucks for standing up for what they believe in, coaches like @DocRivers, and the @NBA and @WNBA for setting an example,” he said.
“It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values.”
The Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their playoff game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday (Aug. 26) night, inspiring other NBA teams and leagues across the sports world to do the same.
In a statement addressing their refusal to play basketball, they explained, “The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American communities. Citizens around the country have used their voices and platforms to speak out against these wrongdoings…Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball.”
After the Bucks broke their silence, presidential candidate Joe Biden retweeted the video, commending the players for using their platform wisely.
“This moment demands moral leadership,” he wrote. “And these players answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good. Now is not the time for silence.”
On Thursday (Aug. 27), the NBA announced the players would also sit out of the Thursday night’s matchups, but would resume the playoff games as soon as Friday.
Look below to see Obama and Biden’s tweets in support of the NBA boycotts.