By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With LeBron James exiting the first NBA players’ meeting in the NBA bubble on Wednesday asking for the season to end, former US President Barack Obama ended up being the catalyst for a change of scenery.
As Shams Charania reported first, LeBron James, Chris Paul, who is also the president of the National Basketball Players Association, and a committee of players reached out to Obama for advice.
With the playoffs up in the air after the boycott of the Milwaukee Bucks in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, James reportedly felt that the move made by the Bucks was lacking a plan.
According to ESPN, “Obama was in favor of returning to play once the players seized the moment to work with the league’s owners to identify and implement actionable items to effect positive change”.
Obama’s office issued a statement about the meeting which pretty much confirmed the former president’s input: “As an avid basketball fan, President Obama speaks regularly with players and league officials. When asked he was happy to provide advice on Wednesday night to a small group of NBA players seeking to leverage their immense platforms for good after their brave and inspiring strike in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting. They discussed establishing a social justice committee to ensure that the players’ and league’s actions this week led to sustained, meaningful engagement on criminal justice and police reform.”
On Thursday in a second meeting, the NBA players decided for the season to continue.