Jordan Clarkson was among the NBA players who took to social media shortly after the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted their scheduled playoff game against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
“WE DEMAND CHANGE!” the Fil-American guard of the Utah Jazz tweeted in reaction to the Bucks players’ decision not to face the Magic in protest over the shooting of a black man by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Jacob Blake was shot seven times by a Wisconsin police officer, triggering wide condemnation from the NBA community which felt that being in the Orlando bubble has limited their opportunities as far as taking action on racial issues.
Players were allowed to place social justice messages on the back of their uniforms as approved by the league, with Clarkson going with the word “Peace.”
Milwaukee’s decision prompted the NBA to postpone all three playoff games, including the Houston-Oklahoma City and Los Angeles Lakers-Portland series which saw the players of those teams electing not to play.
Clarkson also retweeted a Twitter post by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James. The two were teammates during James’ final season with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018.
“FUCK THIS MAN!!!! WE DEMAND CHANGE. SICK OF IT” James tweeted.
Also retweeted by Clarkson was the one made by San Antonio Spurs star DeMar DeRozan, who said: “This s___ bigger than basketball! Whoever don’t understand that is part of the problem.”
Basketball has become secondary now that there’s the possibility of the season being cancelled after a players' meeting that saw the Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers voting to boycott the remainder of the playoffs.
If that happens, it would cut short an impressive playoff showing against the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference first round series.
Clarkson averaged 19.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Jazz, who lead the Nuggets 3-2 in the series.
But his performance hardly matters now with all that’s been going on outside of the bubble.