The Knicks’ statement on the NBA protests totally erased the players’ courageous actions.

“The league’s decision”?

What happened Wednesday night in sports will be taught in history books 50 years from now. Players on multiple teams in three different leagues engaging in wildcat strikes and refusing to play as a protest against racial inequality is a remarkable act of courage that won’t soon be forgotten. 

What made the protests especially brave, especially on the part of the Bucks, who were first to sit out, is that they weren’t approved by management. The leagues know who is on the right side of history on this issue, and so they’ve been eager to sanction calls for equality and displays of unity. But the effectiveness of those actions is diluted by the fact that they’re approved by the people in charge. Wearing Black Lives Matter T-shirts on the sidelines and putting messages on the