#Adam Silver breaks silence as NBA, players reveal social justice plan

NBA commissioner Adam Silver broke his silence on the recent player boycotts and his own employees striking at the league office Friday, penning a letter to “colleagues.’’

The NBA postponed playoff games Thursday and Friday – a move triggered by the Bucks refusing to take the court for Game 5 vs. Orlando. Teams are set to return to the practice court Friday and pick up play Saturday, ending their strike in the aftermath of another police shooting of a Black man – Jacob Blake — in Kenosha, Wisc.

Silver had remained mum until late Friday morning in a 350-word letter that announced formation of the first-ever NBA Foundation “to create economic empowerment in the black community.’’

The NBA and NBAPA then released a joint statement outlining their plan for social justice reform. That included the formation of a social justice coalition, a promise for team ownership to work with local elections officials to convert NBA facilities into voting locations for the 2020 general election and the addition of “advertising spots in each NBA playoff game dedicated to promoting greater civic engagement in national and local elections and raising awareness around voter access and opportunity.”

In his letter, Silver wrote that he understands “the pain and anger’’ and why “some of you feel the league should be doing more.’’ Silver also referenced “challenging times’’ of being in the Orlando bubble “far away rom your family and friends.’’

Here’s a copy of the letter posted on the league website:

Dear Colleagues:

I’ve heard from several of you directly and I understand the pain, anger and frustration that so many of us are feeling in this moment. These are incredibly challenging times, especially for those of you on our campuses in Orlando and Bradenton who are far away from your family and friends.

First, let me say that I wholeheartedly support NBA and WNBA players and their commitment to shining a light on important issues of social justice. While I don’t walk in the same shoes as Black men and women, I can see the trauma and fear that racialized violence causes and how it continues the painful legacy of racial inequity that persists in our country.

Yesterday we had a candid and productive conversation with NBA players, coaches and team governors regarding next steps to further our collective efforts and actions in support of social justice and racial equality. The discussion centered around how we can best collaborate to address a broad range of issues, including increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for police and criminal justice reform. We will be finalizing initial details and will be able to share more specifics ahead of a statement to the public slated for later today.

I understand that some of you feel the league should be doing more. I hear you – and please know that I am focused on ensuring that we as a league are effecting real change both within our organization and in communities across the country. Through the efforts of our internal Social Justice Task Force and the commitments we made, including the formation of the first-ever NBA Foundation to create greater economic empowerment in the Black community, we are dedicated to driving the sustainable change that is long overdue.

We are here to listen and I encourage you to be as open and honest as you can. If you have any questions, concerns or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, Mark Tatum, Oris Stuart or your HR Business Partner. We are always here to support you.