basketball pauses practice for peaceful protests

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Auburn basketball pauses practice in support of peaceful protests against social injustice

Updated Aug 27, 2020; Posted Aug 27, 2020

By Tom Green | tgreen@al.com

Bruce Pearl and his team took a break from the basketball court on Thursday.

In the wake of peaceful protests from NBA players and other athletes and teams across the country amid continued social injustice and unrest, Auburn opted to pause its preseason basketball practices as a show of support. Pearl took to Twitter on Thursday night to explain the team’s decision to not practice and post a photo of he and his players united with arms crossed and masks on while on the court at Auburn Arena.

The decision came after a team meeting, with the Tigers agreeing to resume practice Friday.

“We will return to the courts tomorrow, but felt this was a course of action that our team wanted to take,” Pearl wrote. “While our players and coaches feel safe and protected by our law enforcement in the Auburn community, we also recognize that doesn’t exist for everyone, everywhere in our country.

“We appreciate our university leadership for taking action towards a better Auburn community through diversity, inclusion and opportunity. We are also grateful for the tremendous support from the Auburn family and hope they understand our actions are intended to help make everyone better together. As the Auburn Creed states, ’I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.”

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The team’s decision comes a day after the NBA playoffs were paused following a work stoppage by players to protest the recent shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisc. Blake was shot in the back by a police officer seven times and subsequently paralyzed. The NBA wasn’t the only professional league to come to a halt Wednesday, with the WNBA following suit, multiple MLB teams deciding not to take the field Wednesday and Thursday, five MLS matches being cancelled Wednesday and the NHL cancelling previously scheduled playoff games on Thursday and Friday.

Several NFL teams also cancelled practices, as did multiple college programs, including a walk-out by Kentucky players and a protest by Mississippi State players on Thursday.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.