NBA Focused on Sending Positive Vibes Ahead of New Season

We’ve seen the NFL keep a mostly hands-off approach to protests by its players, including kneeling during the National Anthem. Well, the NBA already requires players to stand during the national anthem, but the league says it is more interested in advancing this push for change.

FOX’s Chris Hoenig reports:

The NBA sending players a memo asking them to come forward with ideas and ways to create positive change in communities, rather than just protest.

The letter, which is signed by both commissioner Adam Silver and Michele Roberts, who heads the players union, points to basketball as a way to bring, “people together and build bonds of trust in our communities.”

They point to town halls, like the one hosted by Carmelo Anthony in Los Angeles this off-season:

(Anthony) “We need a direct dialogue with everybody.”

And it’s not a publicity stunt. In fact, cameras are banned from the town halls that the Knicks star organizes:

(Anthony) “A lot of people don’t like to talk in front of cameras about things that are affecting them, affecting their community, what’s happening, what’s not happening.”

Chris Hoenig, FOX News.

Follow Chris Hoenig on Twitter: @Chris_Hoenig