Wednesday afternoon was a groundbreaking time for the world of sports.
This past Sunday, Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man, was shot in the back by a police officer seven times in Kenosha, Wis. Due to social justice already being on the forefront of the national conversation, another instance of police violence spurred a monumental decision by athletes across the professional sports landscape.
The first wave of news came when the Milwaukee Bucks decided to boycott Game 5 of their first round playoff series against the Orlando Magic. With Milwaukee being just 40 miles away from Kenosha, this issue clearly hit home for the Bucks.
After that, the Magic decided to take part in the boycott alongside the Bucks. Eventually, the league office decided to postpone all games previously scheduled for today, with an NBAPA meeting to determine the next course of action.
Over in the WNBA, players and coaches were unsure whether they would be tipping off in the wake of the NBA boycotts. Ultimately, the players decided to stand with their NBA contemporaries, culminating in a moving statement by current Atlanta Dream center and former Duke All-American Elizabeth Williams. Williams assumed a leadership role as players took a stand for what they believed in.
While it remains to be seen whether either season will resume, it is safe to say that players from both leagues, including Williams, will make their voices heard on these pressing topics.
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Max Rego is a Trinity senior and an associate sports editor for The Chronicle's 118th volume. He was previously sports managing editor for Volume 117.