By Philip Baillargeon
For anyone who knows the history of the sport, the refrains “keep politics out of basketball” and “shut up and dribble” seem entirely oxymoronic. The National Basketball Association has taken great pride in its status as a vehicle for positive social change throughout its nearly 75 year existence. Although the refrain may sound different in 2020, making sure Black Lives Matter rings true has been a goal of the majority African American league since the 1960’s. As we watch the league from afar today, witnessing boycotts, acts during the national anthem, and statements on the backs of jerseys, let us take a moment to contextualize the role of social justice in the NBA by rewinding to some of its preliminary Black voices, and to see how, for the very first time, the league and its players are truly on the same page.
Elgin Baylor and the Boycott:
Long before the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their first round series versus the Orlando Magic in late August over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and the subsequent boycott of games across the league and across the nation at large, Elgin Baylor took a stand on what was then the Minneapolis Lakers. Before a game against the Cincinnati Royals in Charleston, West Virginia, in 1959, Baylor and the two other black players on their team were told they would have to stay in a “black motel” separate from the white players’ hotel. Baylor opted not to play the game, telling his teammates, “Listen, if we don’t stay together, I’m not gonna be part of it.” The Lakers lost, and Baylor took a large portion of the blame for his decision, however, the subsequent media attention given to the boycott exposed the inequity rampant in the lives of Black men and women across this nation in a much more striking way than if he had stayed quiet and played.
Bill Russell and the Team Mentality:
Whereas Elgin Baylor was left to fight many battles alone, Bill Russell, the man with the most championship rings in the entire history of the sport with eleven rings in thirteen seasons of play, knew that he could only make a substantial, immediate impact if he had the trust and confidence of his team. When no hotel in Oklahoma City would room his championship team at USF during a tournament in 1954, his team stayed in an empty dorm in solidarity. And although Bill Russell was snubbed for individual awards (he was denied Northern California Player of the Year even though he won the national championship and was MVP of the Final Four), he was confident in his ability to build unified teams and keep the focus on issues bigger than basketball. He never signed autographs, was outspoken against racist acts against him in the inflamed city of Boston and elsewhere, and, over his career, saw a league with 15 Black players become a majority minority league, forever changing the dynamic of the sport.
Craig Hodges and the Letter to Bush:
Many people know the name Elgin Baylor. Many more, arguably, know the name Bill Russell. Craig Hodges, a two time NBA champion and three time three point contest champion, was no Bill Russell, but he was certainly a decent player in his own right. Years after his career was abruptly cut short after winning a championship with the Bulls in ‘92, Hodges asserts that he was effectively blacklisted from the NBA for giving a letter to President George H.W. Bush during a visit to the White House. The letter detailed concerns Hodges has about redlining (or the lingering effects of segregation in the United States that deprive Black communities of resources), voting rights, and the power of unions to ensure safe conditions for workers (especially minority workers). Hodges was released from the team shortly after, and he would never play in the NBA again. While he wishes he could’ve wielded the power of a Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson to influence social change, his work as a coach and his influence on the current members of the players union have helped make protest possible for a new generation without threatening their livelihoods.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and the National Anthem:
Again, this is not a new phenomenon, however, the league has significantly changed its handling of players expressing deeply personal beliefs on the national stage. A man who converted to Sunni Islam and changed his name from Chris Jackson, had a childhood of poverty, and suffered from tourettes syndrome left undiagnosed, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf had a complex relationship with the American flag and the national anthem. On March 12, 1996, the NBA suspended Abdul-Rauf for his refusal to stand for the national anthem, effectively costing him $30,000 per game suspended. Abdul-Rauf was able to reach a compromise with the league where he closed his eyes and prayed for those who were suffering during the anthem after long negotiations led by the players’ union. Still, as a result of his actions, he lost out on millions through endorsements and contracts, endured death threats, and had his home burned down. Like Hodges, he was traded away and released in the prime of his career because, despite support from the players union, league front offices were unwilling to listen.
Today, there are some positive lessons to take away from the history of the NBA as we enter the final stretch of the playoffs. Primarily, both the league and the union support players in their protest and have amplified their message instead of dampening it. Players can express themselves like Hodges or Adubl-Rauf without being swept out of the league, and players can educate themselves on issues central to players like Baylor and Russell through hosted events focused on educated players and fans on voting rights issues on the Orlando campus.
Players have never been silent on social issues. The only difference is, now, for once, the league and the fanbase at large are finally listening. And that’s why, at center court, for all to see, when a champion is crowned, the text on the hardwood will read “Black Lives Matter”. Welcome to the player empowerment era.
