More than a game

With the Milwaukee Bucks using basketball as a platform for something more, we are reminded that hoops can be more than a game.

Today, the Milwaukee Bucks decided to stay in their locker room and boycott game 5 of their playoff series with the Orlando Magic. The decision came in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. The OKC Thunder and Houston Rockets are following suit and the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to as well.

We anticipate that the games will be rescheduled, leading many to ask what the point is. Here you go: we are now talking about the temporary boycott, leading to further discussion of the social issues that the players want to be discussed and acted upon.

A reschedule is not a given, with future action to be discussed more tonight.

This serves as an excellent reminder of the power of basketball and sports in general. There are many ways that individuals can use basketball as a platform for what they deem to be crucial issues or missions.

For example, The Basketball Movement and Yanders Law team up each year to bring Angels of the Hardwood to our community - using the basketball platform to give to those that need it and offering a fun distraction in what can be a difficult time for some families.

At the professional level, the voices are amplified by a major platform. For so many consumers saying they are staying away from pro sports, this seems to have their attention once more.

The NBA Playoffs have been a blast so far and the Orlando bubble experiment has certainly been a success to this point with no covid cases for over 300 players for about a month straight. From the viewer’s perspective anyway, things have been surprisingly similar to the broadcasts we are used to seeing.

No matter the message, it is clear that basketball is capable of being so much more than a game. We are seeing so many athletes doing the best they can at sticking to their guns and raising awareness for what they feel is right. That is something we can really appreciate.

Sometimes the movement happens off the court. Being “The Basketball Movement,” we can dig it.