Adam Silver, Michele Roberts to Tour National Civil Rights Museum for MLK50
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts are expected to join players from the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies on a tour of the National Civil Rights Museum on Sunday.
Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com provided details of weekend plans in Memphis involving the NBA to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Other planned events include a discussion entitled "MLK50: Where Do We Go from Here?" and the Earl Lloyd Sports Legacy Symposium, per Youngmisuk.
Mike Conley (Grizzlies), Brook Lopez (Lakers) and three-time WNBA champion Swin Cash will join Silver and Roberts for the MLK50 conversation. Cash will also be part of the Lloyd Symposium alongside retired NBA stars James Worthy, Penny Hardaway and Sam Perkins.
The weekend activities are the NBA's latest effort to promote social justice.
"I'm extraordinarily proud of our players," Silver told reporters in September. "They've always found ways to make meaningful change in their communities and to work toward social justice."
He added: "One of the core principles of this country is freedom of expression. Given the platform that they have, whether it's the regular engagement they have with the media, whether it's social media, whether it's other opportunities they have to work in the communities, they have those opportunities for their voices to be heard."
Katie Barnes of ESPNW.com noted Roberts, who's led the NBPA since 2014, said in August every player has the right to express themselves as they see fit at a time when social justice is at the forefront of American discussion.
"Athletes have the right to be agnostic and not say a word if they choose to, and at the same time, they have the right to speak if they choose to," she said. "As an athlete, you don't forfeit your rights to the First Amendment."
The Lakers and Grizzlies will cap the NBA's weekend celebration of King's life with a game at FedEx Forum on Monday night.
