Colin Kaepernick’s protest by kneeling during the national anthem have become a huge talking point. More importantly, they have spread to many different athletes across many different sports.
As the NBA season draws near, there are a lot of questions about how the league will handle these potential protests. So far, most things point to the positive. Despite regulations that players must stand during the anthem, the NBA and NBPA have been working to find a compromise for this situation.
Different teams have had different methods to endorsing the protests but all have been supportive to a degree.
You can add two more teams to that list. Both Stan Van Gundy and Doc Rivers, head coaches and team presidents of the Pistons and Clippers, respectively, have lent their support.
Van Gundy via Jake Chapman of Pistons media:
SVG says he spoke w @MookMorris2 & others ab nat'l anthem. Says he supports em no matter, but encouraged them to be heard for right reasons.
— Jake Chapman (@JakeChapmanNBA) September 23, 2016
Rivers gave a more full response to Dan Woike of the Orange County Register:
“Listen, we need social change. If anyone wants to deny that, they just need to study the history of our country …” Rivers said. “I’ve said it 100 times. There’s no more American thing to do than to protest. It’s the most patriotic thing we can do. There are protests I like and protests I don’t like. It doesn’t matter. …
“Protests are meant to start conversation. The conversation, you hope, leads to acknowledgement, and the acknowledgement leads to action. We’re, right now, still in the conversation.”
“I hope we do it as a group. I know whenever you protest as one solid group, the protest has more teeth if you want to protest …” he said. “I’m supporting our guys’ right to protest. I’m saying that up front. My hope is you believe it and do it for the right reasons and not just because it’s a hot topic on Instagram.
“I hope it’s in your heart and you believe in it. If it’s something in your heart, who am I to tell you not to stand up for what you think is morally right?”
Rivers also mentions that he will be talking to his players about those issues and their platform during training camp.
It’s good to hear that the players under Doc Rivers and Stan Van Gundy will have an opportunity to use their platforms to bring social change.
