The NBA’s Social Justice Coalition is pressing lawmakers to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act on the anniversary of Floyd’s death.
“Almost exactly one year ago, George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis,” the coalition said in a statement Monday. “Like millions around the world, NBA players, coaches, governors, officials and staff throughout our organization were outraged to see the horrifying and unlawful actions of the officer who pinned Mr. Floyd’s neck to the ground under his knee for nine minutes. Mr. Floyd’s death added new fuel to the protests, marches, and urgent calls for racial justice and reform locally and nationally.”
The coalition was formed in November of last year following a season that saw players take a more active role in promoting social justice issues, most notably during their time in the “NBA bubble,” when play was allowed to continue after the season was suspended in response to the pandemic.
The group includes players Carmelo Anthony, Avery Bradley, Sterling Brown, Donovan Mitchell, and Karl-Anthony Towns. They are joined by coaches Lloyd Pierce and Doc Rivers, while Commissioner Adam Silver, Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, and National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Michele Roberts round out the group.
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The coalition urged lawmakers to “honor” Floyd’s memory and find solutions to “systemic racism.”
“Today, as this painful anniversary approaches, we have an opportunity to honor the memory of Mr. Floyd and others who have been victims of police brutality in this country by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act,” the statement added. “Systemic problems demand systemic solutions. And, because police actions are governed by a diverse array of state laws and local policies, the Floyd Act takes unprecedented strides toward consistency — reforming at a federal level the practices that failed its namesake.”
The bill would make significant changes to America’s law enforcement, including changes to qualified immunity that would make it easier to prosecute police officers, impose new limits on the use of deadly force, and ban no-knock warrants.
While the legislation was passed by the House in March, it faces a much more uncertain future in the Senate. President Joe Biden has thrown his support behind the bill, but it faces stiff opposition from police unions and Republicans. With the legislative filibuster still intact, Democrats would need 10 GOP crossovers to put the legislation on Biden’s desk.
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But despite the long odds, the coalition said it still felt the need to speak out on the issue.
“As members of the NBA family, we will continue to use our influence to support common-sense policy reform in our communities across the nation so that equal justice is afforded to all,” the coalition said.
