Carmelo Anthony is glad to see Michael Jordan lend his oft silent voice to speak out on the police shootings on African-Americans. But he’s also thinking what most of us were thinking.
Just hours after Jordan released his statement about how he “can no longer stay silent,” Anthony met with members of the men and women’s U.S. Olympic basketball team and community leaders in Los Angeles who looking to work on solutions for the social issues Jordan spoke on.
While Anthony, who is endorsed by Brand Jordan, said he was happy to see the basketball icon speak up, he also thinks it should’ve been happened.
In a video clip, Anthony can be heard saying:
“I thought it was brilliant and about time that he stepped up and said what he said. Because at the end of the day, amongst us, he is our face. He’s an African-American above every powerful African-American, so for him to step up in the midst of these times right now, it was very big on his behalf. And…it’s not always about money and giving back, but for him to step up and put his money where his mouth at, the timing was perfect.”
Anthony’s challenge to fellow athletes to step up and do more earlier this month has indeed inspired more athletes to do something. He was joined by LeBron James, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade at the ESPY awards for an opening monologue challenging sports figures to lend their popularity to aid in working against societal ills. Since then WNBA players have seemed to be the most effective by initiating a media ban where they will not talk basketball but will only talk about current events including the shootings of unarmed Black men by police.
Photo: Instagram
