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NBA stars meet with Pope Francis in Vatican City to continue to advocate for social justice reforms

Samir Mehdi
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NBA stars will meet with Pope Francis in Vatican City to continue to advocate for social justice reforms

A delegation of NBA player held a meeting with the Pope to further discuss issues concerning social justice reform.

The NBA prides itself in being a socially proactive league in major American sports. The league allowed players to make political statements through messages on their jerseys in the NBA Bubble.

The Milwaukee Bucks, led by George Hill, released a statement in late August that they would be boycotting all NBA Playoff games. This was in the wake of the unjust shooting of Jacob Blake.

Also Read: “I had doubts about NBA returning”- LeBron James reveals thoughts in Bubble post NBA Boycott

The NBA did eventually resume but the NBPA remained active in trying to push for defunding of the police.

In light of multiple racially charged incidents within the US, the Pope himself, Pope Francis, invited select NBA players to Vatican City to discuss these social issues.

Pope Francis sits down with NBA players to discuss the social injustice in the US.

An assistant to Pope Francis contacted the NBPA in regards to their actions towards social reform. The Pope wanted to know what the players felt in the aftermath of it all and how they sought to combat the social injustices around the US.

The delegation of players who visited Vatican City comprised of Jonathan Issac, Sterling Brown, Anthony Tolliver, Kyle Korver, Marco Belinelli, and the NBPA’s executive director, Michelle Roberts.

After hearing of the Pope’s keenness to learn about what the players have going on in their minds, they were quick to respond. The matters discussed in the meeting will revolve around the economic inequality and the rampant racial injustices that take place on a daily basis.

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The meeting lasted for about an hour or so, and was behind closed doors. The players will discuss what was said during the meeting in media availability in the coming days.

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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