It was an unprecedented week in sports as players in the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NHL, MLS and beyond chose to not play games and matches in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wis. and social injustice. ESPN journalists and storytellers produced news reports and analysis across multiple platforms under extraordinary circumstances.
As Poynter’s Tom Jones wrote in his Friday newsletter, “ESPN’s coverage Thursday — especially commentary from people such as Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Richard Jefferson, Marcus Spears, Keyshawn Johnson, Jay Williams and many others — has been riveting and thought-provoking.”
A sampling and an encouragement to spend some additional time at The Undefeated.
An incredible piece here by Howard Bryant. Everyone who has an opinion on the players walking out needs to read this. The reality of Black pain is breaking American sports' status quo https://t.co/fSU29TY63e
— Stan Van Gundy (@realStanVG) August 27, 2020
"It’s entirely possible that they don’t know how to go about this right now, but something has to change. It’s not like what anyone was doing has been working, so why not let the aggrieved parties take the time to figure out a solution?" @clintonyates: https://t.co/mvV9WowZ5j
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) August 27, 2020
Basketball’s ongoing fight for social justicehttps://t.co/lxL4Z9y30E@UCFDeVosSBM @InstituteSSJ @powerofsport @BeyondSport
— Richard Lapchick (@RichardLapchick) July 25, 2020
With the NBA bubble burst, players turn frustration into action https://t.co/wOfWd75ywP
— Frank X. Shaw (@fxshaw) August 27, 2020
Today’s #ESPNDaily is one of the best shows we’ve done. Please listen to @malika_andrews detail the tick-tock of how we got here, from inside the chaos of the NBA Bubble. You’ll learn something new: https://t.co/TVYn0wx8Va pic.twitter.com/KIcDyN73Bb
— Pablo S. Torre (@PabloTorre) August 27, 2020
ESPN story on one of the unforgettable 24 hours in NBA history. @ramonashelburne with the writing/reporting, @cristinadaglas editing and reporting with @MarcJSpears, @ZachLowe_NBA, @malika_andrews and me. https://t.co/vs8YWhrexF
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/FinestMagazine/status/1299091811307323393?s=20
My word. If you only read one piece today, READ this one by @katie_barnes3 | LeBron James and Nneka Ogwumike didn't teach me that racism is a problem in this country https://t.co/alxhRorKwW
— Carl Suddler (@Prof_Suddler) August 27, 2020
Could NFL players boycott games this fall as NBA players did this week? You'd better believe they could. Why NFL team owners should be paying attention: https://t.co/wa0erQDGAd
— Dan Graziano (@DanGrazianoESPN) August 27, 2020
In Sunday’s “SC Featured” segment on SportsCenter, Los Angeles Dodgers coach George Lombard shares his mother’s story as a civil rights activist in the 1960’s while trying to find his own voice in the fight for social justice. Chris Connelly reports.
