The Oklahoma City Thunder and NBA released statements following the verdict made by the Minnesota jury on the decision to convict Derek Chauvin on all three counts for the killing of George Floyd.
Chauvin was found guilty of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Floyd, 46, died on May 25, 2020 when Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes after police responded to a report that Floyd had used a counterfeit $20 bill.
Video of his death set off a wave of social justice cries that echoed into the NBA landscape.
After the conviction on Tuesday, the Thunder tweeted the following statement:
“Today’s verdict offers a level of justice for the Floyd family, but that is only one step in the long journey toward ending system racism in our country. The Thunder is committed to working toward ending racial injustice, and we are all responsible for helping to take this moment in our country’s history and improve on it for today, for tomorrow and for generations to come.”
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) April 20, 2021
Related: NBA players react to Chauvin verdict
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Michele Roberts released a statement that read:
“George Floyd’s murder was a flashpoint for how we look at race and justice in our country, and we are pleased that justice appears to have been served. But we also recognize that there is much work to be done and the NBA and NBPA, together with our newly formed Social Justice Coalition, will redouble our efforts to advocate for meaningful change in the areas of criminal justice and policing.”
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/taSKKJa2Sc
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 20, 2021