This week, the NBA and players around the league have been finding ways to rethink their priorities in the wake of yet another police shooting of an unarmed Black man. The season abruptly went on hiatus on Wednesday as players staged a walkout in order to put pressure on the league and its owners to enact social reform using their connections and influence.
Individually, players have continued find ways to use their own voices, money, and influence to support change in their local communities and beyond. The stoppage of play has also acted as a rallying call for other sports leagues around the country, several of whom have also pressed pause on their seasons in the midst of a re-energized movement.
Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz became the latest to use this opportunity to make a difference, announcing a joint effort with adidas on Friday to use a portion of the sales of his newest sneakers to help fund Jacob Blake’s children future education.
Mitchell will donate $45,000 of the proceeds from his sneaker sales to the Blake family, a number that will be matched by adidas, who confirmed the news in a release on Friday.
“adidas stands in solidarity with athletes, coaches and cultural leaders driving positive disruption and demanding justice for the senseless shooting of Jacob Blake and the many whose lives have been impacted by systemic racism.
Donovan Mitchell and adidas will donate all proceeds from the sales of the D.O.N. Issue #2 launching today, up to $90,000, to a college scholarship fund for the children of Jacob Blake.
In support of those voices being heard, all other product releases scheduled to launch this weekend will be postponed across adidas stores, adidas.com, the adidas app and CONFIRMED.”
The news comes just on the heels of the league announcing that it would return to action on Saturday after what will have been a 72-hour hiatus, marked by renewed efforts on the part of the league and the Board of Governors to create new initiatives for social justice reform.