Biden Praises NBA Champs for Hawking the Vaccine, Slamming the Police During Obnoxious WH Visit
President Joe Biden welcomed the 2020 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks to the White House on Monday, where he politicized the visit by thanking the team for pushing COVID vaccines and for opposing their city’s own police department.
“Last year, as a team, you took a stand for justice and peace in the wake of Jacob Blake’s shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. And you’ve gotten — and you’ve gotten people engaged — no, it really mattered. I remember calling your coach,” Biden said.
“You got people engaged in — in the vote, in the political process. You’ve encouraged fans to get vaccinated. I just want to thank you,” he continued.
“That’s the power of a team’s example”: President Biden praises the Milwaukee Bucks for encouraging fans to get vaccinated and politically engaged, and for speaking out against the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/K8s02bSFV0
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 8, 2021
Biden also thanked Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday and his wife, former professional and Olympic soccer star Lauren Holiday, for touting COVID vaccines, according to a transcript of his remarks provided by the White House.
“I want to thank Jrue Holiday and his wife Lauren, who, by the way, is probably a better athlete. You’re good. You’re good, but I tell you what, you — you married way up, pal,” Biden told Holiday. Jill and I watched her. I — seriously, we watched her bring home a Woman’s World Cup in Place in 2015 to add to her two other Olympic Gold Medals. I mean, what the hell, you know?”
“And they are world-class athletes. And they — they talked about why getting vaccinated is so important and — to protect yourself and those you love and the people around you. And it mattered. So, I want to thank you both,” Biden said.
Last August, during the playoffs in the Orlando Bubble, the Bucks refused to play a playoff game against the Orlando Magic — which led to the league delaying other postseason games.
The protest of the game was following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a black man who was armed with a knife and refused to comply with the commands of officers from the Milwaukee Police Department during a party. Blake survived being shot by police but was left paralyzed.
Both teams have cleared the court with fewer than five minutes left on the clock before Bucks & Magic. Protocol for how or when to declare a forfeit or postponement remains unclear. Bucks have expressed outrage over Jacob Blake police shooting in recent days. pic.twitter.com/dnYuqrvUEy
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 26, 2020
Blake was wanted on charges of alleged sexual assault, but was widely supported by professional athletes — especially the Bucks.
The team’s owners issued a statement in support of players refusing to play the game against the Magic last August as parts of Kenosha, Wisconsin, burned amid widespread protests and rioting.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) August 26, 2020
“We fully support our players and the decision they made. Although we did not know beforehand, we would have wholeheartedly agreed with [the players],” said team owners Marc Lasry, Wes Edens and Jamie Dinan. “The only way to bring about change is to shine a light on the racial injustices that are happening in front of us. Our players have done that and we will continue to stand alongside them and demand accountability and change.”
Lasry is a major Democratic Party donor, and a supporter of Biden.
The Orlando Magic also issued a statement in support of their opponents’ protest of the game.
STATEMENT FROM THE ORLANDO MAGIC AND THE DeVOS FAMILY pic.twitter.com/jRZJmo1mq4
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) August 26, 2020
The Bucks on Monday were the first NBA team in five years to visit the White House after securing a championship, which they secured in July over the Phoenix Suns.
Teams throughout former President Donald Trump’s term in office decided against visiting the White House.
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