The National Basketball Players Association issued a statement Sunday addressing two fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, declaring that “NBA players can no longer remain silent.”
The union represents professional players in the National Basketball Association and said in the statement that the shootings have intensified calls for justice and civil liberties protections.
One of the men killed, Alex Pretti, 37, was fatally shot by federal law enforcement officers on Jan. 24 while protests were under way in Minneapolis. Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, was at the scene of demonstrations tied to a broader immigration enforcement operation when officers fired on him, according to multiple law enforcement and community accounts.
Preceding Pretti’s death, Renée Good, 37, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent on Jan. 7 during a separate federal enforcement action in the city.
In its statement, the players’ union said Minneapolis has been “on the forefront of the fight against injustices” and that players must “defend the right to freedom of speech and stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.”
The NBPA said its membership reflects a diverse community and vowed to resist forces it described as threatening civil liberties. Its statement extended condolences “to the families of Alex Pretti and Renee Good,” and said the group remains “focused on the safety and well-being of all members of our community.”
The statement from the players’ union follows widespread reaction across the sports world and beyond. Teams and individual athletes in the NBA, WNBA, and other professional leagues have publicly addressed the Minneapolis shootings and the protests they have sparked.
The NBPA’s remarks also came as the Timberwolves–Warriors game originally scheduled for Saturday in Minneapolis was postponed in the wake of community unrest and concerns about safety.
The comments reflect an evolving role for professional athletes and their unions in social and political issues that intersect with public debates over law enforcement, civil rights, and federal authority.
