The NBA, MLB and NHL postponed their Monday games In Minneapolis following the death of Daunte Wright, a Black man killed in a traffic stop Sunday.
“Out of respect for the tragic events that occurred yesterday in Brooklyn Center, and following the additional details in this evolving situation, the Minnesota Twins have decided it is in the best interests of our fans, staff, players and community to not play today’s game,” the MLB team said in a statement.
The Twins were scheduled to host the Boston Red Sox on Monday afternoon.
Both the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, who were set to play the Brooklyn Nets, and the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, who were facing the St. Louis Blues, postponed their Monday evening games.
Protests continued Monday night in Brooklyn Center over the fatal shooting that authorities say appeared to be the result of the officer mistaking a gun for a taser. Just ten miles away, a trial was being held for former police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of another Black man, George Floyd.
Outside of Minnesota, many teams, players and executives in professional sports acknowledged the death of Wright and the anger of the Minneapolis community.
“It just makes you sick to your stomach. How many times does it have to happen?” said Gregg Popovich, the coach of the San Antonio Spurs, ahead of a Monday game. “How many young Black kids have to be killed for no freaking reason?”
The Spurs players linked arms with the Orlando Magic on Monday with bowed heads to honor Wright and respond to police brutality.
Popovich called out Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Donald Trump and other politicians for not doing enough to address gun violence in the US, calling the inaction “childish,” “sickening” and “dangerous.”
“Do they want their grandchildren to go to work and go to school and go through these [mass shooter] drills and worry about being murdered? What does it take?” he said, adding that the response within police departments is limited by desires to maintain power as well.
Doc Rivers, Philadelphia 76ers coach, spoke ahead of his team’s game to say that all Americans should be frustrated by the shooting.
“We keep making mistakes on killing Black people. I don’t want to get into race but it’s there and I think we all have weaknesses and we all need to confront them and make this place a better world,” Rivers said.
