The NBA players are clearly trying to distance themselves from the actions of one of the league’s franchises.
The National Basketball Players Association issued a statement on Aug. 3 distancing their players from the actions of the Orlando Magic franchise, which donated $50,000 to Never Back Down, a political action committee in support of the presidential campaign of Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“The Magic’s donation does not represent player support for the recipient,” the statement read.
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The NBPA described the Magic’s contribution as “alarming given the recent comments and policies of its beneficiary.” The statement also stressed that while anybody associated with the NBA is free to express political views, it must not be done in a way that misrepresents the views of others within an organization.
“If contributions are made on behalf of an entire team, using money earned through the labor of its employees, it is incumbent upon the team governors to consider the diverse values and perspectives of staff and players,” the statement read.
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The Orlando Magic is owned by RDV Sports, which is owned by the DeVos family who are strong Republican backers. However, the team is composed of a majority Black players together with a Black general manager and Black head coach.
DeSantis has made several damning comments against the transgressions the Black community has faced, including claiming that some benefited from their time as slaves
