Adam Silver Says Sterling Brown's Incident with Milwaukee Police Was 'Horrific'

NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the January arrest of Milwaukee Bucks guard Sterling Brown, who was taken down to the ground by police officers and shot with a Taser, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated:

On the day when the video was first released on May 24, Silver spoke at the Sports Business Awards and urged people against "sticking to sports" in regards to political and social issues.

"There's never been a time when sports has been more impactful on society than it is today," he said, per Jason Owens of Yahoo Sports. "Whether it's issues affecting race and gender, health, mental wellness or technology and media, what we all do in this room matters day in and day out.

"And finally, I encourage all of you not to stick to sports. Do not stick to sports. Embrace it. Celebrate it. And let’s use it to build bridges and to bring people together."

Brown, 23, was stopped by Milwaukee police outside of a Walgreen's after parking in a handicapped space.

According to Gina Barton and Ashley Luthern of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Brown's arresting officers portrayed him as threatening and aggressive in a draft of a police report, though video of that incident showed that Brown did not resist arrest or act aggressively toward the officers before he was pulled to the ground and shot with a stun gun with his hands behind his back.

The release of the video prompted immediate backlash against the officers in question, with "many in the community, including the mayor and members of the Common Council, [characterizing the] police behavior as disturbing and violent."

NBA players also spoke out against Brown's treatment from police officers, including his teammates, D.J. Wilson and Brandon Jennings:

"The involvement of Milwaukee police officers and Sterling Brown is an example of exactly why body cameras are so important to our legal system," Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said in a statement following the incident. "They are good for both the public and law enforcement."