Lakers center Dwight Howard: “No basketball until we get things resolved”

Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard said, in a statement to CNN, that he believes the NBA and other forms of entertainment are an unneeded distraction from important issues facing the nation and the black community in this period. Howard states that as much as he would like to resume the NBA season, he feels that the opportunity for unity among “my people” is a bigger priority.

“I agree with Kyrie. Basketball, or entertainment period, isn’t needed at this moment, and will only be a distraction. Sure it might not distract us the players, but we have resources at hand majority of our community don’t have. And the smallest distraction for them, can start a trickle down effect that may never stop. Especially with the way the climate is now. I would love nothing more than to win my very first NBA Championship. But the unity of My People would be an even bigger Championship, that’s just too beautiful to pass up. What better time than now for us to be focusing on our families. This is a rare opportunity that, I believe, we as a community should be taking full advantage of. When have we ever had this amount of time to sit and be with our families. This is where our Unity starts. At home! With Family!! European Colonization stripped us of our rich history, and we have yet to sit down and figure us out. The less distractions, the more we can put into action into rediscovering ourselves. Nations come out of families. Black/African American is not a Nation or Nationality. It’s time Our Families became their own Nations. No Basketball till we get things resolved", Howard said.