The Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors are set to square off in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, but there are bigger issues both teams wanted to raise prior to the game.
Both the Celtics and Warriors were warming up in orange T-shirts that read “End Gun Violence” with the social media accounts of organizations dedicated to the cause on the back of the shirts.
It has been nearly two weeks since the mass shooting of an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two teachers dead and three weeks since a racially motivated mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo resulted in 10 deaths.
There have been several more mass shootings in the U.S. since those two as well as the issue of gun violence has gripped the nation.
“There are things we can do to limit gun violence that would not violate people’s Second Amendment rights but would save people’s lives,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters before the game. “The majority of people in this country want sensible gun laws that would limit gun violence.”
The NBA, in general, has been a leading voice on speaking out on social issues, particularly involving race, but the Warriors head coach may be the most vocal when it comes to gun violence.
He gave an impassioned response during a press conference shortly after the tragedy in Texas and has been personally impacted by gun violence, as his father was shot to death by terrorists in Lebanon when he was in college.
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka also said that “awareness and change needs to happen” when he met with reporters.
The Celtics also wore T-shirts at their practice on Saturday to support WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia since February on alleged drug charges. The U.S. government believes she is “wrongfully detained.”
The NBA Finals is the biggest stage in basketball and both the Warriors and Celtics seem to be doing their part in using this platform to keep important issues at the forefront of everyone’s mind and hope it can lead to positive change.
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