Stephen Jackson Criticizes NBA's Plans to Continue Season: 'Now Ain't the Time to be Playing Basketball'

The former NBA player took to Instagram to emphasize that restarting the NBA season will only take the attention away from the current movement.

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Image via Getty/Stephen Maturen

stephen jackson

Stephen Jackson criticized the NBA on Saturday for choosing to continue the season.

The former NBA player took to Instagram to share his disapproval of the 2019-2020 NBA regular season continuing in Orlando in July, saying that other things are going on in the world to focus on besides basketball.

"I love the NBA man, that's my family," Jackson began in the Instagram video. "But now ain't the time to be playing basketball y'all. Now ain't the time. Playing basketball is gonna do one thing, take all the attention off the task at hand right now and what we fighting for."

"Everybody gonna be worried about the playoffs, they gonna have that blasting all over the TV, and nobodies gonna be talking about getting justice for all these senseless murders by these police and nobody's gonna be focused on the task at hand," Jackson continued. "None of these white owners have spoken up, none of 'em are taking a stand. Yeah, they might post a video when the season start of saying what we should do, but they ain't doing nothing."

Jackson would close by emphasizing that the movement at hand for Black rights is bigger than the game of basketball and bigger than any one person. He also shared a quote from Lou Williams that mirrored the things he was saying.

Stephen Jackson's feelings are very similar to some of the sentiments other current NBA players like Kyrie Irving have shared about the season restarting amid nationwide protests.

During a players-only call on Friday night, it was reported that Kyrie does not support the season continuing in Orlando, saying that he is willing to "give up everything" in his efforts for social reform.

Kyrie Irving on players call Friday, per sources: “I’m willing to give up everything I have (for social reform)."

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 13, 2020

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