Report: NBA's Adam Silver Says Racism 'Cannot Be Ignored' in Memo Amid Protests

David Banks/Associated Press

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sent an internal memo to league office employees in response to the nationwide protests after the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports:

"Racism, police brutality and racial injustice remain part of everyday life in America and cannot be ignored," Silver said in part. "At the same time, those who serve and protect our communities honorably and heroically are again left to answer for those who don't."

Silver also said that the NBA must "do everything in our power to make a meaningful difference."

Silver noted that he was "heartened" by the many people in the WNBA and NBA families who have spoken out and protested in recent days.

That list has grown recently, with numerous members of the Boston Celtics, Washington Mystics, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks joining protests and/or releasing statements, among others.

Protests continued for the sixth day Sunday following the death of the 46-year-old Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody Monday.

Video showed a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressing his knee into the back of the neck of the prone and handcuffed Floyd, who said multiple times that he couldn't breathe and that his body hurt. He died later that day.