The NBA postseason in 2020 was so much different than any we’ve seen before. We knew that it would be, considering it was happing in a “bubble” at Disney World in Florida, but it turned out to be even more unique than we were anticipating.
That’s because it came right in the middle of some of the most significant civil unrest the world has ever seen.
With the 1st round wrapping up, news surfaced about the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. This news followed the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and as a result the unrest boiled over even more.
Around the NBA, talks of boycotts began to stir around camps like the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks. With the Raps already through to the 2nd round, the Bucks decided to boycott Game 5 against the Orlando Magic in a series they lead 3-1. Not long after, it became clear that no NBA teams would be playing that night, and suddenly the postseason in general was in jeopardy.
An all-players meeting was held to discuss the possibility of leaving the bubble out of protest, and LeBron James, the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Clippers were all ready to do so. In the end, the postseason continued, and the Lakers were eventually crowned champion.
On Friday, UNINTERRUPTED released an episode of The Shop featuring Barack Obama, in which LeBron and Obama reflect on the event, and discuss the significance of the player’s boycott. Two of the most influential people of colour in the United States were apparently in communication during the boycotts, and Obama’s guidance helped LeBron to conduct himself in the way he did.
Of course, it wasn’t all serious talk. The two also compared ears, and it was a pretty funny interaction.
(H/T UNINTERRUPTED)
