Saturday’s events in Charlottesville, Va., have many people talking — but not everyone.
The “Unite the Right” rally, a white supremacist demonstration that left one counter-protester dead and dozens injured, has sparked much conversation around the sports world, with Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James being a key contributor. But when asked to comment about the topic at Sunday’s Big3 league season finale in Los Angeles, a slew of former NBA stars elected to punt.
“I stay out of the political arena,” NBA Hall of Famer and Big3 coach Julius Erving said, via USA TODAY. “I generally don’t answer questions about politics.”
Erving wasn’t alone in staying silent, though. Fellow Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler and ex-NBA stars Kenyon Martin and Mike Bibby also passed, according to USA TODAY.
But there was a player who talked about Charlottesville and, not only were his comments very insightful, but he happens to play for Erving’s Big3 team.
“The more hate we’re seeing in this world, the more we’re giving back hate instead of giving more love,” former NBA guard Mike James said while sitting next to Erving in a post-game press conference, per USA TODAY. “And see, love is always going to be the thing that’s going to turn any kind of conflict.
“If you argue with me and I come back telling you ‘I love you,’ you won’t want to fight me anymore. But if I come back with just-as-wrong a response to you, well, then you’re adrenaline is going to get even more high. And that’s the problem right now, is hate is being basically fought with hate, and what are you going to get out of that? Hate.”
Erving’s response? “Well said,” according to USA TODAY.
Thumbnail photo via Jeremy Brevard/USA TODAY Sports Images
