Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert hit back at Jazz fan threatening NBA boycott over BLM issue

This week, the NBA revealed thier plans to paint 'Black Lives Matter' on the courts at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida. The idea was initiated to support the Black Lives Matter protests going on in the country, which began after George Floyd's murder on May 25. While many people supported the league's idea, some fans were against the courts having 'Black Lives Matter' painted on them. On Tuesday (Wednesday IST), an Utah Jazz fan spoke against the league's plan and was called out by the team's stars, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. 

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Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert call out Utah Jazz fan on Twitter to support Black Lives Matter protest

If you don’t think that Black Lives Matter then maybe you shouldn’t watch us in the first place... https://t.co/ZnsA6afuKI

— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) July 1, 2020

Bye👋🏾. https://t.co/EoHNusZjD8

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) July 1, 2020

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Utah Jazz fan called out by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert for racist comments

"If you paint 'BLM' on the Court, you have LOST this Utah Jazz fan FOR LIFE," Twitter user ThorOdinson543 wrote in a since-deleted tweet. "Never again. Won't even watch on TV. Gone like Yesterday." The fan was referring to an ESPN report by Zach Lowe and Ramona Shelbourne about the NBA and WNBA thinking about them writing 'Black Lives Matter' on the courts at the venues where they will resume their 2019-20 seasons.

The Undefeated's Marc J Spears also reported that the leagues are teaming up with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) to replace player names with messages and slogans supporting the BLM movement or any other social cause. Mitchell and Gobert are among many NBA players who have spoken up against racial injustice and will be travelling to Orlando for the NBA restart on July 30. Gobert was the first NBA player to test positive for COVID-19, followed by Mitchell, which resulted in the league suspending the NBA 2019-20 season. 

Also read | NBA to paint 'Black Lives Matter' on the courts in Orlando for the restart

ESPN also reported that WNBA players suggested the idea of playing warm-ups in shirts which read 'Say Her Name' written on them, so people could remember about the female victims of police brutality like Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her apartment in Louisville after being shot by police officers in March. Many WNBA and NBA players were against the idea of resuming the seasons amid the ongoing protests in the USA.

NBA players like Dwight Howard and Kyrie Irving were reported to be against the NBA restart. WNBA players like Atlanta Dream's Renee Montgomery and Washington Mystics' Natasha Cloud have already announced that they will be sitting out the season to focus on social injustice and other issues in the country.

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(Image source: AP)