Nuggets’ banners reflect team’s commitment to social justice movement in Orlando: “Don’t shut up and dribble” - The Denver Post

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Inside the Nuggets’ team meal room in the Orlando bubble, team officials had banners made depicting all 17 players that have now made it safely to the NBA’s re-start.

Outside of it, in a public space where opposing teams walk on their way to practice, the Nuggets projected a much different message.

The team created two separate banners that illustrate the social justice messages the organization has been amplifying for more than a month. One celebrates former congressman John Lewis, the late civil rights icon who spent his life fighting for equal voting rights.

“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America,” his quote reads above the iconic picture of him staring down Alabama state troopers on what eventually became known as Bloody Sunday.

After Lewis died last month, Nuggets coach Michael Malone encouraged his entire team to watch “Good Trouble,” the documentary on Lewis’ life.

The other banner reads “Don’t shut up and dribble,” and features 11 black-and-white photos taken from protests that Nuggets players participated in. Veterans Gary Harris and Jerami Grant both contributed to the collection.

“I think it speaks volumes when you walk by our food room and you don’t necessarily see world championship banners,” Malone said. “You see banners reflecting the current mood across our country, which is terrific.”

While other teams hoisted banners celebrating their players in public spaces, the Nuggets’ reiterated their two-fold mission in Orlando: play basketball and don’t let the spotlight fade on the social justice movement.

“There’s a huge platform that our athletes have,” Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly told The Post. “We have to empower them to use it. Our country’s in a tough spot right now. We’re dealing with obviously a pandemic, some social issues that should’ve been addressed years and years and years ago. We want to make sure that the platform is effectively utilized and that while we’re playing basketball we can’t ignore what’s happening outside of the bubble.”

The banners are a small example of the Nuggets’ initiative but there are plenty more. Twice Grant has dedicated his news conferences to the memory of Breonna Taylor. On numerous occasions, Malone has opened his news conferences by citing a date from the Equal Justice Initiative Calendar, forcing both he and the media to confront America’s racial history.

After creating shirts that sought justice for Elijah McClain, Malone told The Post last week how he connected with Lawayne Mosley, McClain’s father, to foster a relationship with the heartbroken family. And before the season re-started, the Nuggets held a virtual townhall meeting with Denver mayor Michael Hancock about working in conjunction with his office to establish a forum for honest conversations.

Mari Newman, the lawyer for the McClain family, and a spokeswoman for the mayor’s office, were both blown away by the passion and energy Malone expressed. It was an indication how seriously he takes this responsibility, and that the Nuggets’ investment is not a false gesture.

“That’s why I feel hopeful is that this moment, this time, it feels different,” Malone told The Post. “It’s because the amount of people that are really taking time to invest in this. That’s the real key.”

Last week, the NBA’s Board of Governors, in partnership with the NBPA, announced a $300 million commitment “dedicated to creating greater economic empowerment in the Black community,” the news release stated. The focus, on both a national and local level, will be on skills training, mentorship and enhancing job opportunities for Black men and women.

The nature of the Orlando bubble is such that distractions are minimized and life has almost strictly revolved around basketball. With the way the Nuggets have handled their re-start, it’s evident they have a different goal in mind.

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Nuggets’ banners reflect team’s commitment to social justice movement in Orlando: “Don’t shut up and dribble” - The Denver Post
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