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Street Roots • April 20-26, 2018
Etan Thomas
Backlash against athletes who are vocal
about social justice is nothing new, says
the former N B A player, whose new book
looks at the intersection between athletes
and activism
CO URTESY PHO TO
BY DEVON POUNCEY
S T A F F W R IT E R
T
he e 2018 NBA postseason is in full
swing.
SV
This is the platform that has
created historic basketball moments such
as Damian Lillard’s game-winning
3-pointer that advanced the
Portland Trail Blazers past
the Houston Rockets in the
opening round of the 2014
playoffs. It’s also the
platform where the
Trailblazers are in an
opening-round duel with the
New Orleans Pelicans. But
if you actually win the NBA
Championship, such as the
2017 Golden State Warriors
did, you run the risk of
being uninvited to the
White House by the
president of the United
States. That’s a different
platform altogether - or is
it?
Etan Thomas, a former
CO URTESY PHO TO
NBA player, activist and
author, knows about the
NBA postseason atmosphere firsthand.
Like the Warriors, Thomas also knows
what it’s like to be treated in a negative
manner for taking a stance against social
injustices.
In his newly released book, “We Matter:
Athletes and Activism,” Thomas covers a
wide range of topics dealing with the
intersectionality of sports and social
justice, including NCAA amateurism and
the coverage of women in sports.
Interviews with prominent sports figures -
such as Hall of Fame center Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, Oklahoma City Thunder
guard Russell Westbrook and sports
ÉTAÑ T H O M A S
commentator Jemele Hill - personalize
these topics.
During Thomas’ time in the NBA -
including seven years with the Washington
Wizards - his activism spanned
denouncing the Iraq War, advocating for
racial justice and assisting Hurricane
Katrina victims. Today in the NBA, plenty
of athletes are standing for similar causes.
The Sacramento Kings organization has
supported the family of Stephon Clark, an
unarmed African-American killed by the
Sacramento police, in numerous ways.
After Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron
James and Golden State Warriors forward
Kevin Durant spoke about social issues,
news anchor Laura Ingraham told them to
“shut up and dribble” during NBA All Star
weekend.
Thomas spoke with Street Roots about
his new book, athlete activism and his
interviews with families of unarmed
victims.
D e V o n P o u n c e y : H a vin g interviewed
athlete activists from past generations to
modern day, what could be said about the
progress from then to now?
Etan Thomas: I would say that not a
lot has changed. The same way the media
and mainstream America told Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, John Carlos and
Muhammad Ali to “stay in their place” or
“be grateful” or “how dare they complain
about what’s wrong with society” is the
same way Colin Kaepernick, LeBron
James, Eric Reid and more are currently
told to “shut up and play” or have the
mentality that athletes should stay in their
place and not involve themselves with
what is happening in the society and
country they live in and are a part of. This
isn’t a new phenomenon. It didn’t start
with Laura Ingraham. It has been
happening for a long time.
D . P.: You've played at the highest level o f
N C A A basketball at Syracuse University.
C a n you share your thoughts on amateurism
and athletes’ being compensated?
E. T.: I spent an entire chapter on this
topic in “We Matter.” I interviewed John
Wall, Oscar Robertson and, from the Fab
Five, Ray Jackson and Jimmy King so we
could delve into this topic and dissect it.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also provided a lot of
commentary on this subject.
Let me say this: I cherished my time at
Syracuse University. I met my wife,
graduated with a degree in business
management, and developed friendships
that I will have for the rest of my life.
However, from purely an economic side,
Syracuse benefited greatly from my four
years there. The NCAA is a billion-dollar
industry - with a “B .” Maybe back in the
day when there wasn’t as much money
being generated, maybe it was a little more
of a trade-off. But now, it’s not even close.
Of course college athletes should be
compensated. They are able to pay
everyone else associated with the athletic
department no matter if it’s a revenue
generating sport or not, but can’t pay the
players? No coaches are working for free.
No trainers or media people or compliance
people or anyone. They can come up with
a system if they wanted to, but the
problem is they don’t want to. The system
is working just how the NCAA wants it to,
so nothing will change unless they are
forced to change.
D . P.: When it comes to activism in the
N B A , share what has changed from the time
you played in the league to now.
E. T.: I think social media has changed
the flexibility and freedom of athletes
See THOMAS, page 5