Finally an athlete speaks up against NBA Commissioner Adam Silvers threat to punish any player who kneels for the anthem. Former Lakers star Kobe Bryant said that the NBA rule requiring players to stand for the national anthem wouldnt stop him from taking a knee if he saw fit.
Lakers Fans on Twitter
LakerNation #Lakers #GoLakers Kobe Bryant would kneel for anthem if he was still playing https://t.co/WXqy7G58T2
Now, I know most people would say, thats easy for Kobe to say, he doesnt play anymore. But I believe it was his way of challenging the current players and urging them to take some kind of action against Silver’s mandate. To not go quietly because to do so would cheapen the movement and the momentum that players have going in pressuring large corporations who would otherwise not give a rats ass, to deal with the issues of police brutality and social and racial oppression.
In an appearance on the The Hollywood Reporters Awards Chatter podcast, when asked if he would stand or kneel for the national anthem, Brant simply said, Kneel.
The question came at the 1:05:50 mark in the interview. In a follow up, Bryant was asked what he would say to Donald Trump. Bryant responded, Focus on serving, not leading.
The NBA and Adam Silver reminded teams of its rule in a memo about protests during the national anthem.
The NBA has a rule that players, coaches and trainers stand respectfully for the anthem. The league office will determine how to deal with any possible instance in which a player, coach or trainer does not stand for the anthem. (Teams do not have the discretion to waive this rule).
So far this preseason, players have decided to lock arms in unity which has absolutely nothing to do with why they are kneeling for the anthem. With all of these bizarre and classless challenges being promoted by Black folks on social media, let’s see who responds to Kobe’s challenge.
GRADS on Twitter
BEAN Well @NBA players your President has spoken. https://t.co/esWd4bg33E
If the NBA players want to be taken seriously by league owners and the commissioner , then a few superstars with influence have to take a knee. Kobe says he would kneel. Hes always been a leader, never a follower and that’s the hardest thing to be in times of division, chaos and racially motivated hate. Most people just want the situation to go away and enjoy the games, but its too late for that. Kobe realizes that. I hope the immortals who took the torch from Kobe understand that as well.
