Kyle Korver Discussed The Bucks Stopping Play In Orlando And Being An Ally

Nearly two months have passed since the Milwaukee Bucks elected to sit out Game 5 of their NBA Playoff series against the Orlando Magic in the wake of the death of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Following the Bucks’ decision, the rest of the NBA elected to sit out as a whole and, later, Milwaukee’s players released a powerful statement demanding justice.

With the Orlando bubble now disbanded, players are back in their home markets and preparing for what could be a short NBA offseason. However, Bucks veteran Kyle Korver was prompted to speak on the topic of how things transpired prior to the decision to sit out the game, and he answered in poignant detail during a visit to his alma mater of Creighton.

Within the video above, Korver describes the situation with Bucks assistant Darvin Ham addressing the team before the scheduled game. Ham has a pair of sons that live in the Milwaukee area, and Korver describes an emotional scene.

“I just sat there in my chair, with tears running down my face,” Korver said. “And I’m looking at my jersey that says Black Lives Matter, and I’m just like ‘What are we doing?’”

It is known that George Hill was the member of the Bucks that first decided not to play. From there, Korver recounts that Sterling Brown joined him, telling the team they didn’t have to sit out. But the Bucks decided to do so at that late hour, with Korver saying there were “like 13 minutes on the clock” before tip-off.

The full video is certainly worth viewing, and Korver provides context and insight for what took place. In addition, he shed light on being an ally in this situation.

“How do I help as a white man? What do I say as a white man in this space? You know what you do,” Korver said. “You stand with the marginalized. And, when you can, you amplify their voice. And you listen to their thoughts. And you listen to their ideas. And you find your way to help out.”