The National Basketball Players Association says it supports protesters in Minnesota after federal agents shot and killed two residents.
The association and its executive committee published a statement on Sunday, saying, “NBA players can no longer remain silent.”
“Now more than ever, we must defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice,” the association said.
The group said it, like the United States, is a “community enriched by its global citizens.”
“And we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.”
On Saturday, a federal agent shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse working at a US Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Less than three weeks earlier, a different federal agent shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old living in Minneapolis.
Following Pretti’s death, the NBA postponed a Saturday night game between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Timberwolves were set to play the California team at Target Center in Minneapolis, a venue that has become a flash point for protests against the Trump administration’s deportation tactics.
The NBA did not reference the shooting in its statement but said “the decision was made to prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community.”
The game was rescheduled to Sunday, 5:30 p.m. local time.
A decision to postpone an NBA game amid civil unrest is rare.
The last time the organization postponed a game during civil unrest was in 2020 after multiple teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks, boycotted games in response to the fatal shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Spokespeople for the Timberwolves, Warriors, and NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
