Michael Jordan spent his accomplished NBA career mostly silent on political or racial issues. On Sunday, though, the Charlotte Hornets owner refused to stick to sports.
Jordan offered strong sentiments about a white police officer (Derek Chauvin) killing an unarmed black man (George Floyd) after kneeling on his neck despite repeated protests that he struggled to breathe.
"I am deeply saddened, truly pained and plain angry. I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage and frustration," Jordan said in a statement the Hornets released Sunday. "I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough."
Jordan received some criticism during his playing career for remaining apolitical. The most notable example: Jordan declined to endorse Democrat Harvey Gantt, an African American, who ran for Senate in 1990 against incumbent Republican Jesse Helms, who had staunchly opposed various civil rights initiatives.
In "The Last Dance" documentary, Jordan said that he contributed an undisclosed amount of money to Gantt’s campaign. But he defended his inaction, saying, "I never thought of myself as an activist. I thought of myself as a basketball player."
In recent years, Jordan has become more involved with social issues. In 2016, Jordan gave grants of $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in hopes of fostering more trust between law enforcement and local communities.
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Jordan, whose dad was murdered in 1993, added, "my heart goes out to the family of George Floyd and to the countless others whose lives have been brutally and senselessly taken through acts of racism and injustice."
"I don't have the answers, but our collective voices show strength and the inability to be divided by others," Jordan said in the statement. "We must listen to each other, show compassion and empathy and never turn our backs on senseless brutality. We need to continue peaceful expressions against injustice and demand accountability. Our unified voice needs to put pressure on our leaders to change our laws, or else we need to use our vote to create systemic change. Every one of us needs to be part of the solution, and we must work together to ensure justice for all."
Follow USA TODAY NBA writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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Michael Jordan speaks out on George Floyd death and protests: 'We have had enough' - USA TODAY
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