Players were upset the Bucks acted impulsively without anyone knowing. Check the Los Angeles Lakers history books!
This was a watershed moment in sports history that sparked demonstration reaching not only the NBA for the last three days but the WNBA, MLB and the NHL. Tennis champion Naomi Osaka postponed her semifinal match in the Western and Southern Open on Thursday.
The Bucks never left their locker rooms to play a 4:00 game against the Orlando Magic. After spending hours talking to Wisconsin legislators, they finally made a statement.
Full statement from the Milwaukee Bucks: pic.twitter.com/jjGEyVcCmB
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 26, 2020
In the meeting later that night it was reported the members of the Los Angeles Lakers had issues with Milwaukee’s execution. Some thought that Milwaukee’s decision was more impulsive than planned out, and they wished to see a longer-term impactful strategy to hold others more accountable.
When the Lakers and Clippers endorsed walking out, Miami’s Udonis Haslem who posed a rhetorical question to the players considering walking away from the season.
Can the postseason even be legitimate without those two teams and the stars on them?
Its hard to believe that the Bucks were criticized. The Players Union was recognized years ago almost the exact same way. Yes, two Lakers legends help lead the brigade.
The NBA players did something similar at the 1964 All-Star game at the old Boston Garden. They too threatened to back out of the All-Star game a few hours before tip-off unless they were recognized as a union.
The negotiations were led by Lakers greats Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robertson. Just before the first televised All-Star game, they announced the players would not play unless they were guaranteed benefits forwarded to the commissioner’s office the previous summer. Those benefits are listed below.
- A pension plan.
- Athletic trainers on every team.
- Improved playing conditions
- No more Sunday afternoon games after Saturday night games.
In comparison, what Jerry West and Elgin Baylor went through makes this situation almost laughable. Back then, the Los Angeles Lakers owner didn’t support their star players.
Then owner Bob Short threatened Jerry West and Elgin Baylor’s careers in two different ways.
He threatened Jerry West to his face in front of Baylor.
Jerry West version of the story via the L.A. Times.
"“I was young and just trying to feel my way along and build a career for myself,” West said. “[Short] said to us very threateningly, ‘If you don’t play in this game, you’re probably never going to play again.’ I then said, ‘I’m never going to play a game.’ I am pretty defiant.”"
Bottom line, Milwaukee Bucks players have been caught in the crosshairs. John Henson had the police called on him just shopping for jewelry. Sterling Brown is lucky to be alive.
Get used to this ignorant phrase. The NBA has no reason to complain, they have it good… Keep reading and see other instances where NBA players were umm… treated inappropriately.