The Bucks took a significant step in the fight for racial justice during their time in the NBA bubble, as Milwaukee kickstarted a league-wide strike following the shooting of Wisconsin resident Jacob Blake.
Bucks forward Kyle Korver discussed Milwaukee’s decision to strike in a town hall at Creighton University on Sunday. Korver detailed the emotional nature of the Bucks’ locker room as well as the decision made by point guard George Hill that led to the team’s protest.
“I just sat there with tears running down my face,” Korver said. “And I’m looking at my jersey that says Black Lives Matter, and I’m like, ‘what are we doing?'”
“One teammate, George Hill decided he wasn’t going to play. …We all just sat there and were like, ‘we’re all with you.'”
Korver noted his role in Milwaukee’s locker room as a white player as the Bucks and NBA continued their fight against racial injustice and police brutality.
“It’s always interesting for me as a white man in these spaces. How do I help as a white man? What do I say as a white man in this space?” Korver said. “And you know what you do? You stand with the marginalized. And when you can you amplify their voice, and you listen to their thoughts, and you listen to their ideas, and then you find your way to help out.”
Korver said the Bucks stayed in the locker room for hours following their decision to protest their matchup with the Magic on Aug. 26. Milwaukee’s players called Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers to address the lack of action from the state legislature, and they also spoke with Blake’s family.
You can watch Korver’s full comments below:
Korver finished his 17th NBA season and his first with the Bucks in 2019-20. The Creighton product averaged 6.7 points per game last season, and he hit 15 threes in the NBA bubble before the Bucks were eliminated in the second round.
