The first debate of the 2020 presidential election occurred on Tuesday night, and NBA players had one pretty common reaction: vote. The debate, which pitted Republican incumbent Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden, went over about as well as a fart in church for a few million different reasons, from the temperament of the nominal leader of the free world to the job done by moderator Chris Wallace, who you can certainly say was in attendance.
It was a debate defined by a number of stunning moments, whether it was Biden calling Trump a “clown” who needs to “shut up” or something much darker, like Trump opting to not condemn white supremacists and calling on his supporters to perform acts of voter intimidation on Election Day, which is a crime. And both during and after the debate, NBA players tweeting along with the whole thing called on those with the power to make their voiced heard this November to head to the ballot box and do just that.
PLEASE VOTE!!!!!
@morethanavote
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 30, 2020
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) September 30, 2020
— Larry Nance Jr (@Larrydn22) September 30, 2020
Man
all I’ve got to say is Please Please Please VOTE. #Vote— Thon Maker
(@ThonMaker14) September 30, 2020
But fr go vote please
— Anfernee Simons (@AnferneeSimons) September 30, 2020
Not sure what that was…if you’re feeling some type of way about the “debate” tonight, take the time to check your voter registration and go VOTE
— Harrison Barnes (@hbarnes) September 30, 2020
PLEASE VOTE PLEASE VOTE PLEASE VOTE!!!
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 30, 2020
Mute the mic until it’s the other guys turn.
In other words #Vote #PresidentialDebate2020
— Thon Maker
MAKE SURE YALL GET OUT THERE AND VOTE !!
— Alfonzo McKinnie (@_Alvo_) September 30, 2020
A few of players, both current and former, were a little more explicit in wanting folks to go vote for Biden and his nominee for vice president, California senator Kamala Harris.
Hold on !! He’s talking about Philly?
Philly everyone please get out and VOTE!!— Kyle Lowry (@Klow7) September 30, 2020
Stand back and stand by??????????? No further questions your honor! #vote
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) September 30, 2020
What he said…
#vote https://t.co/UUFSy7J9U9
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) September 30, 2020
VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE #BIDEN2020
— norman powell (@npowell2404) September 30, 2020
After watching the debate I’m just speechless. The key takeaway is exactly what Vice President Joe Biden addressed in his closing remarks, we must get out and vote!! Especially Black and Latino communities! #BidenHarris #Debates2020
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) September 30, 2020
Throughout the NBA’s Orlando Bubble, players have used the platform afforded to them to try and sway folks to head to the polls this year. Election Day is on Nov. 3, 2020, and if you head to Vote.org, you can read up on your voter registration, how you can potentially vote early or by mail, and much more.