Kyle Lowry, Serge Ibaka Reveal Raptors Players Almost Left NBA’s Bubble

NBA players were just some of the athletes up in arms after footage of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wisc., was released.

And while they didn’t leave the bubble over the issue, some players apparently got pretty close.

“I think we (the Raptors and other NBA players) were seriously considering leaving. I think that would have been in serious consideration (if not for the initiatives that the NBA and NBAPA committed to),” Lowry said, via TSN’s Josh Lewenberg.

Serge Ibaka confirmed that notion.

“We were close. We were very close,” he said, via Lewenberg. But as a group we figured things out. We stayed here and we’re here for a reason, not only to play basketball but to use our platform to try and change things out there.”

The Milwaukee Bucks got the ball rolling Wednesday afternoon when they refused to leave their locker room before their Game 5 matchup against the Orlando Magic. By the end of the day, the NBA had postponed all games for the day and held a meeting with players that night to discuss how to progress with the season.

The Raptors reportedly discussed boycotting Game 1 of their second-round series against the Boston Celtics before the Bucks’ move Wednesday. Toronto apparently was vocal during Wednesday night’s meeting as well, though they didn’t join the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers in voting to boycott the rest of the season.

For now, though, play continues.