Well before the Milwaukee Bucks protested their game against the Orlando Magic on Friday, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers spoke about the very issue that led the Eastern Conference favorites to refuse playing Game 5 of their first-round series: the shooting of Jacob Blake.
“Just watching the Republican [National] Convention, and they’re spewing this fear,” Rivers said. “All you hear [is] Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear. We’re the ones getting killed. We’re the ones getting shot. We’re the ones that were denied to live in certain communities. We’ve been hung. We’ve been shot. And all you do is keep hearing about fear.
“It’s amazing to me why we keep loving this country, and this country does not love us back. It’s just, it’s really so sad. Like, I should just be a coach.”
“We keep loving this country and this country doesn’t love us back.”
Doc Rivers got emotional while talking about Jacob Blake being shot by police and social injustice. pic.twitter.com/qQI2Ld2DGI
— ESPN (@espn) August 26, 2020
Among the many to show support of Rivers following his statement was former Clippers big man turned Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan.
The big man let everyone know on Twitter why he continues to have respect for his former coach:
Another reason why I love this man right here! Way more than just a Coach!
Another reason why I love this man right here! Way more than just a Coach! https://t.co/GaNy7FZmA8
— DeAndre Jordan 🐺 (@DeAndre) August 26, 2020