The Celtics vs. Mavs Finals Match Is More Important Than Basketball

Throughout NBA history, a number of celebrities have shown a strong commitment to using their platform for education as well as entertainment. These individuals take great pride in their roles as professional athletes.

Owing to sports’ progressive nature as a force and setting for breaking down social barriers, this frequently manifests as activism. Hall of Famers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell are respected for their support of social justice in addition to their basketball prowess.

Twenty years later, athletes such as Allen Iverson emerged as the archetypal figure for those who did not feel compelled to hide or minimize their Black identity in order to appeal to the general public.

Speaking out against racial injustices is becoming more and more common among authentically Black athletes—those who are confident in their culture, comfortable in their own skin, and guardians of their past.

At first, this campaign was led by LeBron James, who briefly served as the voice for civil rights causes. His friends and peers, including Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Paul, started speaking out more on these issues.

There has been a mixed response to the league raising important sociocultural themes.

There are others who find the difficult talks necessary to bring about change upsetting, even disorienting. Indeed, one of the main factors in determining the league’s dwindling audience is the political climate.

Even people who aren’t overtly racist or conservative would prefer to watch a sport like baseball or soccer where they don’t have to deal with too many painful truths about life.

When prejudice is seen, these sports will undoubtedly confront it. They aren’t targeting Black athletes with their leagues, though. They’re not spearheading efforts for social justice.

But the NBA is.

This is the reason why there is more at stake in the next NBA Finals matchup than just basketball. When the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics play, it’s more than just a matchup of two All-Star teams.

Two individuals who are among the new faces of NBA advocacy square off in this matchup. Jaylen Brown and Kyrie Irving

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