The Golden State Warriors began the preseason on Saturday night, eventually losing to the Denver Nuggets. But that wasn’t the main takeaway from the game. Everyone wanted to see if there would be any type of protest during the national anthem. The Warriors didn’t do anything nor do they plan to during the season. The team’s vocal leader, Draymond Green, said the statement has already been made and everyone knows where the Dubs stand. Green said it’s now time to make the world a better place.
The Dubs were in the crosshairs of Donald Trump’s twitter feed in the last few weeks. As defending NBA champs they were set to be invited to the White House as many championship teams have been in the past. Given the racist, white supremacist ideology emitting from the White House administration, Dubs star Steph Curry publicly voiced his unwillingness to attend. Steph hoped that his teammates would feel the same way and as a group they would pass on the celebration at the White House. All signs pointed towards the Dubs declining the invite and before that could happen Trump tweeted the invitation had been rescinded.
Classic move by Trump, but no need to rescind the invite to people you know weren’t going to attend. That’s actually petulant, but that’s who Trump is. Draymond Green expanded on his thoughts on the protests saying:
I think people make what they want out of [kneeling]. I think it’s at a point now where everybody knows. The conversation started. It’s about capitalizing on that and trying to make things better now. Kap made the statement a year ago. I don’t knock anybody for doing what they do or what they feel they need to do. But I think the conversation has started at this point. The more you make gestures or this and that, that becomes the conversation, and that’s beside the point.
Well said Draymond. The protest has been coopted and watered down. We know what the issues are that are being protested. It’s time to engage and push the powers that be into action.
Flip the page to see video of Draymond Green’s postgame comments courtesy of ESPN.