Former NBA Champion Shawn Marion Disagrees with Sitting, Boycotting NBA Season

Former NBA forward Shawn Marion says he does not think players should sit out of the league's planned return in Orlando, telling TMZ Sports he believes using the national platform will be more effective in pushing social justice reform.

"In order for you to advocate and go out here and show what you're fighting for and the causes, you need to be on TV," Marion said. "Social media is a great platform, but TV is a bigger platform because you can post whatever you post on TV, you can post to your social media platform. So, with the season resuming, it adds to that cause."

Several NBA players, most notably Kyrie Irving and Dwight Howard, have expressed reservations about the NBA's planned return in Orlando. Irving, who will not play regardless because of a shoulder injury, encouraged players to sit out on a conference call of about 80 players earlier this month.

"I don't support going into Orlando," Irving said on the call, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. "I'm not with the systematic racism and the bulls--t. … Something smells a little fishy. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are targeted as black men every day we wake up."

NBA players have been among the most prominent athletes participating in the nationwide protests of racial discrimination and police brutality against black people since the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after video showed him kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes.

The NBPA announced plans to increase its activity in social justice issues, including a Police Accountability Project that would provide a national database for police misconduct.

NBA players are slated to return to their home markets this week, where they will undergo testing for COVID-19 in preparation for training camp. Players are expected to arrive in Orlando on July 7 before resuming the season July 30.