- I have a concern as an American how divided our country is. We don't live in isolation. We're a country that faces extraordinarily difficult, complex global issues, and the fact that we're so divided puts us at a huge disadvantage on the global stage. So in terms of our players and coaches, they have the same rights as all American citizens, and there is freedom of expression in this country. Ultimately, I believe our fans respect that. I don't think our fans would ultimately want to be part of a system where there were consequences for what you're describing as, in essence, core political speech. If you look at the origins of the First Amendment, there is probably no more pure speech than that which is political.
- We have a rule that requires our players to stand for the anthem. It's been a rule as long as I've been involved with the league, and my expectation is that our players will continue to stand for the anthem
- We believe sports are a unifier and this is an opportunity for the NBA to once again lead by its core values of equality, inclusion and unity and to bridge divides and bring people together.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
