Los Angeles Lakers All-Star LeBron James has been one of the NBA’s most vocal leaders for years. That was once again the case throughout the week as players debated whether or not to resume the 2020 postseason.
Michael Jordan and a number of other team Governors spent hours speaking with James and representatives of the Players Association. The conversations came in the wake of Jacob Blake being shot, and the response from teams being a league-wide boycott.
Given their vast wealth, players argued team owners should be doing more than just putting Black Lives Matter on the court, among other initiatives. It led to an eventual resolution, but not before high-tension conversations led predominately by James took place.
James — on a call with Jordan and 13 other team governors — reportedly made what were interpreted as sound arguments, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic:
On Thursday, after the players agreed to continue playing this postseason, James was among the players in the room for a call with the 13 team governors with franchises inside the Bubble, league office, NBPA and Hornets’ Michael Jordan, who serves as the labor relations committee chairman. He spoke for around five minutes and pushed for complete follow-up after the season ended, that the action topics did not die with the season, according to multiple direct sources on the call.
One person who was on the call told The Athletic that they were impressed by what James had to say and made “very valid points.”
It’s no surprise that James had that type of impact. Not only is he one of the league’s most intelligent players on the court, he’s one of the their more passionate activists for social justice off of it.
James has used his platform and wealth on so many occasions to make the world a better place. Beyond just encouraging and educating people about voting, he’s literally built schools and initiatives dedicated to improving underserved communities in the United States.
Luckily, when the NBA needed guidance the most, they chose James to listen to.
James pressed team owners for more action
One of the reasons James was the player shockingly most in support of boycotting the remainder of the 2020 postseason is because he felt that there was inaction on the part of the owners.
This was his big message during the week as he fought for a resolution. Ultimately, a three-point plan discussing coalitions, voting opportunities, and targeted advertisements is what was agreed to by the league and the players.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!