Orlando (United States) (AFP)

From knees to the ground in systematic speeches, from boycott of match to lobbying for the vote of blacks in the presidential election, the Black Lives Matter movement had as much, if not more resonance, than basketball at the end of the NBA season.

A few hours before the final between the Lakers and Miami, which begins Wednesday and which will complete in the bubble of Disney World a championship already turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic, the climax will not have been sporting, but societal and political.

It happened on August 26.

That evening, the Bucks players decided not to play their match against Orlando, in order to protest against yet another act of police violence, after Jacob Blake was shot several times in the back by an officer in Kenosha, a town south of Milwaukee.

An unprecedented boycott in the NBA, having resulted in the postponement of six games, which immediately spread oil, other teams of baseball (MLB), football (MLS), ice hockey (NHL), as well as the player of Japanese tennis Naomi Osaka, following their movement.

During these critical hours, LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, yet title candidates, voted against the resumption of the play-offs, before reviewing their position, advised by Barack Obama and Michael Jordan, and begged by Adam Silver.

“When I spoke to them, there was a lot of emotion behind their initial decision. They were able to take a step back, think about the bigger impact they could have by staying, the consequences of not playing too, especially in terms of jobs, "said the boss of the NBA.

- Action plan -

Aware of the generalized fed up - a hundred of its employees also went on strike one day - the NBA saved its season after tough discussions between players and franchise owners, the former asking the latter for more '' get involved in the fight against racial injustice.

Facilitating access to the vote, by making the team rooms available, promoting it through advertising spots, advocating a significant reform of the police and justice, were the key measures of this action plan, partly already at work.

Long before this historic episode in American professional sport, some players had doubted the merits of resuming the season.

Brooklyn star Kyrie Irving had already called for a boycott at the beginning of the summer, believing that the time was not for basketball but for the fight for Black Lives Matter.

Because, the situation was already hot throughout the country, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, asphyxiated by the knee of a police officer for 8 min 46 sec.

- "Not enough" -

Eventually almost all of the players from the 22 qualifying teams went to Florida, with the NBA promising them to join in and support this fight, which would resonate more through its popular lens around the world.

This was reflected in the first game between Utah and New Orleans, on July 31, before which players, coaches and referees dropped one knee on the floor where "Black Lives Matter" was painted black.

A scene repeated in unison before every encounter since, except for a handful of people.

At each speech, justice is demanded for the victims of police violence.

Last week, players expressed dismay after one of the three officers indirectly charged in the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old nurse, was killed overnight at her Louisville home in March.

Referring to the boycott of last month, Danny Green (Lakers) pointed out that "something has been done, but it was not enough. Most of the guys thought it was certainly not enough".

Only two teams remain in the bubble, his and that of Miami, but the players intend to continue to send messages.

"The players are awake, aware. We realized how much we are stronger together. We are more than just athletes," said Chris Paul (Thunder), president of the NBA players' union.

© 2020 AFP