Donovan Mitchell Shows Bulletproof Vest as Statement on Police Brutality

The New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz opened the NBA restart Thursday and collectively took a knee during the playing of the national anthem to protest systemic racism and police brutality. 

After Utah's 106-104 win, Jazz star Donovan Mitchell showed reporters a bulletproof vest he brought to the game as another statement on police brutality:

Mitchell has been among the NBA players who have prioritized continuing the conversation surrounding police reform and social change during the league's restart in the bubble environment created at Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort. 

He spoke to Joe Vardon of The Athletic on Wednesday about remaining vocal:

"I think that's the biggest thing, whether we're here in the bubble or at home, we continue to be on the front lines, continue to speak on Breonna Taylor, continue to speak on voter suppression, education reform, police brutality. Whatever the world needs to hear because I think that's really where my heart is, I think a lot of my teammates' hearts are, and these guys in the league and the league itself, that's where their hearts are at."

NBA players all over the league have continued to use their platform to raise awareness and combat racism. Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown talked to Jim Fenton of the Brockton Enterprise about how deep the roots of racism have burrowed themselves into American history.

"The way America was kind of designed, it wasn't designed inclusively. It was designed for a specific group of people. I know that kind of makes people feel uncomfortable to say that," he said.

"But it's not hard to believe that rewind less than 100 years ago, it was illegal for somebody who looked like me to read and write. It was illegal for somebody who looked like me to be some places after 6 [p.m.]. This is less than 70 years ago, so now you fast-forward to now, it’s not too hard to believe there's still some systemic effects that have came to light with how this country was designed."

As protests happen across the United States, NBA players remain determined to not distract from the important conversations taking place. As the NBA games return, the league's players and coaches continue to add to those conversations in meaningful ways.