Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama expressed support for Milwaukee Bucks players who boycotted their NBA playoff game on Wednesday night following the police-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
“This moment demands moral leadership,” Biden said in a retweet of the video statement from Bucks players. “And these players answered by standing up, speaking out, and using their platform for good. Now is not the time for silence.”
LAKERS, CLIPPERS CONSIDER BOYCOTTING REST OF NBA SEASON
The Bucks decided not to take the court for their playoff game with the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. In response to the boycott, the NBA postponed all three games slated to take place Wednesday night and said they would be rescheduled.
NBA players spoke out after Blake, a Black man, was shot multiple times during an encounter with police in Kenosha, Wis. The shooting was caught on video and prompted several days of protests.
“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,” Obama wrote on Twitter. “It’s going to take all our institutions to stand up for our values.”
Following the Bucks’ decision, the NBA held an all-hands meeting inside the bubble at Walt Disney World resort in Orlando to determine next steps for the season. Members of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers informally voted to boycott the rest of the playoffs, according to multiple reports. However, those votes were not considered to be a final decision.
The NBA has yet to publicly address its plans to resume play following the boycott.
