NBA stars need to be leaders

The NBA is the best professional sports league in the world.

Not only does it boast some of the most talented athletes on the face of the Earth, but it is a leader in social activism. Compared to the other major North American leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL), the NBA is

light years

far ahead in terms of addressing injustice, social problems, and controversy.

Commissioner Adam Silver quickly forced former-Clippers owner Donald Sterling out of the league after his blatant racism became too much to ignore. They’re at the forefront in celebrating people and cultures, honoring Black History Month and Chinese New Year. The league has partnered with LeanIn.Org for their new movement, #LeanInTogether, which teaches men how to do more in promoting and supporting the equality of women. Players like Draymond Green, Gordon Hayward, and Chris Bosh are all a part of this campaign.

In addition to the job the league office does, players have also taken stands at the individual level.

After the tragic killing of Eric Garner at the hands of police, LeBron James, Derrick Rose, and several other players wore t-shirts that read “I can’t breathe.” That phrase, video recording revealed, was repeated by the unarmed Garner as officers aggressively choked him out until he died.

Recently, James alongside Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony all spoke at the ESPYs, urging the country to work towards social change. Their pleas came after the killings of unarmed black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling in Minnesota and Louisiana, respectively. Later in the show, the Warriors’ Stephen Curry spoke about the gun violence problems in the country.

Looking back at a larger scale, the NBA most recently decided to relocate the 2017 All-Star Game, moving it away from Charlotte, North Carolina. The decision was a response to the discriminatory state law that infringed upon the rights of the LGBT community. More specifically, it stated that transgender people had to use the restroom that applied to their birth gender.

Following the news, Kevin Durant tweeted about it. Curry, a Charlotte native, was also asked to talk about it on SportsCenter. The two-time MVP expressed his disappointment, not in the decision, but for the loss of a great opportunity for his hometown.

Curry didn’t seem too thrilled to be answering the questions. He couldn’t run from it anymore. Since the issue came to the forefront, the MVP was expected to answer it. Not only because the controversy surrounded his hometown, but because he’s the league’s biggest star.

Which raises the question: do athletes, particularly the biggest stars, have a responsibility to speak on social issues?

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From the beginning, Curry remained silent, choosing not to publicly pick a side in the controversy. Many criticized his indecisiveness especially when the answer seemed obvious. He gave vague answers, avoiding taking a stance. Even now, he still hasn’t taken a stance. He said he supports the league and that he loves his hometown, but he didn’t say whether or not he agrees with the NBA’s decision.

Should Curry have expressed his personal beliefs?

For Curry and all other stars, their brand motivate their decisions. What they say and do is driven by how it impacts their image. In an effort to maintain as wide a fanbase as possible, they sometimes avoid committing to controversial statements as much as possible. in Curry’s case, his image is built around being extremely clean-cut, humble, and innocent.

Now, that’s not to say he isn’t humble or a good person and that his whole image is just a perfectly constructed lie, but that his sponsors and his team market him that way and really sell it all.

On really divisive issues (and, as obvious as the injustice may have seemed, there are people whose opinions fall on the other side), it might be best for players’ brands to stay in the middle, regardless of what their actual beliefs might be.

So, from that perspective, the answer is no. Players shouldn’t do anything to jeopardize their pockets.

But there are issues that require leaders. And NBA players, whether they ask for it or not, are role models. They are the most equipped to bring change. So like the Banana Boat crew and Curry did at the ESPYs, they have a responsibility to those that look up to them to be leaders, to stand up for what’s right.

They have some of the biggest influence in the country. starting trends in fashion, music, and entertainment. It’s also important that they use that influence for “real” issues, especially when their nation is slowly destroying itself.

Players across the WNBA has taken a stand against violence with an emphasis on the Black Lives Matter movement. The Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Indiana Fever, and Phoenix Mercury are at the forefront, wearing t-shirts in support of the movement, refusing to answer basketball questions, and continuing despite being fined.

The NBA and it’s brightest stars like James, Curry, and Durant need to speak out. Even if they jeopardize part of their consumer base, it’s important. The country, as great as it is, is struggling right now. Athletes have the platform to effect change, to unify a divided people with reason.

While their brands may take a hit, it’s better to be on the right side of history. It’s important to be leaders and try to make a positive change than to fall in love with appealing to the wrong types of people.

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James and Anthony have done great jobs standing up and uses their wide-reaching voices to start and drive tough conversations that people may not necessarily want to engage in. As the Fever’s Tamika Catchings said, the league supports many causes, why shouldn’t the players (and hopefully the league) take it upon themselves to support more?

The NBA is far ahead of every other league. It has made strides in protecting and celebrating women, creating a global game, and standing up for what is right in general. More needs to be done though.

The players, the superstars in particular, have a responsibility to be in the trenches in 2016’s Civil Rights Movement(s).