Former President Barack Obama reportedly helped advise the NBA players who led last week’s boycott of playoff games to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Obama’s spokesperson confirmed that the ex-president presided over a conference call in which a group of players, including activist LeBron James and Oklahoma Thunder player Chris Paul, hashed out their demands and statements ahead of last Wednesday’s walkouts. Paul reportedly reached out to Obama for the advice.
“As an avid basketball fan, President Obama speaks regularly with players and league officials,” spokesperson Katie Hill said. “When asked, he was happy to provide advice on Wednesday night to a small group of NBA players seeking to leverage their immense platforms for good after their brave and inspiring strike in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting.
“They discussed establishing a social justice committee to ensure that the players’ and league’s actions this week led to sustained, meaningful engagement on criminal justice and police reform,” Hill added. So Obama is still behind the curtain, pulling the levers to agitate for the “fundamental transformation” of the U.S.