The women began wearing their shirts in protest after Alton Sterling and Philando Castille, two African-American men who were fatally shot multiple times by police officers in Baton Rouge and Minnesota respectively.
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“All of us at the WNBA have the utmost respect and appreciation for…”
The New York, Phoenix and IN teams and players were fined this week for wearing black warmup shirts that addressed the recent shooting by and against police.
The fines seemed to galvanize the players, who have used postgame interview sessions and social media to voice their displeasure.
The WNBA players received support for their efforts from New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony.
“Instead of the league taking a stance with us, where they tell us they appreciate our expressing our concerns like they did for Orlando, we’re fighting against each other”, Indiana Fever All-Star Tamika Catchings told The New York Times.
Evans pointed out that LeBron James and Derrick Rose wore “I Can’t Breathe” T-shirts during warm-ups in honor of Eric Garner in 2014 and that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that “he supports the players for their personal views but prefers they’d adhere to on-court attire rules”. We had a traditional response to a nontraditional situation.
WNBA president Lisa Borders released an official statement Saturday about the fines.
Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network also said it planned to cover the cost of the fines. They’re truly incredible, thoughtful and talented individuals.
We are pleased that the WNBA has made the decision to rescind the fines the league handed down to the players on the Fever, Liberty and Mercury.
“Our league, our partners and our society are better because of our players” willingness to enter the political and social activism arena’.
President Lisa Borders also said in her statement that the WNBA does expect players to follow all of the leagues rules and regulations. In the midst of “Camp Day” at the New York Liberty’s mid-morning game Wednesday, Liberty players stood in solidarity as they donned all-black warmups in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Charles said she was happy that the league rescinded the fines.
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“We’re sick and exhausted of waking up every morning and seeing something like this (shootings) happen”, Mystics player Ivory Latta said after her team played its final game before the Olympic break. People responding to me said you gained a fan, not because of what I do on the court, but the act I did.
