Celtics alum Dominique Wilkins on the racism that made him leave North Carolina

Two particularly racist incidents stuck out to him: a cross burning and an unjust accusation of theft.

Boston Celtics alum Dominique Wilkins recently spoke about the racism he experienced in North Carolina that led him to leave and avoid returning for 30 years in an interview with the “Vlad TV” podcast. Two particularly racist incidents stuck out to him: a cross burning and an unjust accusation of theft.

Wilkins shared a story about being falsely accused of stealing a tape outside a department store. Despite having a significant amount of money on him, he was targeted due to his decision to leave North Carolina to play collegiately at Georgia. Luckily, his cousin, a police officer, intervened and decided to take Wilkins and his family out of town to Atlanta that night, sparing them potential harm. This marked the beginning of his 30-year absence from North Carolina, only returning when his statue was unveiled.

To hear his account of what caused him to stay away from a place he called home for many years for the better part of his adult life, take a look at the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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