Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy, whom our JD Shaw interviewed in October, penned a very profound =piece for Time titled “Athletes Who Protest are Patriots.”
In the piece, as you may have guessed from the title, Van Gundy gives his take on the debate around the wave of athletes protesting, sparked by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem prior to NFL games.
Van Gundy says that he’s no expert on the matter, but that he feels obliged to speak on the matter as a head coach in a mostly black league.
Van Gundy calls out those who criticize athletes for their protests – including President Donald Trump.
Van Gundy’s piece is a long one – over 1,800 words – and I highly recommend reading it in its entirety. Here’s the closing paragraph, though:
I stand with these athletes — in support of both these causes and their patriotism. I hope others will join me in supporting them. These athletes could take the easy route and not placed their livelihoods at risk by standing up for what they believe in. They’ve put in their hard work. They could accept their paychecks and live lives of luxury. Instead, they are risking their jobs to speak up for those who have no voice. They are working to make America live up to its stated ideals. We should all join them in ensuring their collective voice is heard.