NBA's Thunder kneel in protest after Oklahoma lawmaker threatened to hit the team with tax penalties if players refused to stand for the anthem

  • The NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder knelt in protest of racism during the national anthem on Saturday before their game against the Utah Jazz at Disney World
  • State representative Sean Roberts previously threatened to impose tax penalties on the Thunder, whom he says have benefitted from the 1993 Quality Jobs Act
  • In a statement, Roberts claimed NBA players support 'the Black Lives Matter group and its goal of defunding our nation's police [and] its ties to Marxism'
  • Roberts also claimed the BLM movement intends to 'destroy nuclear families' 
  • The NBA's Nielsen ratings have been solid since the league restarted last week
  • Thursday's Lakers-Clippers game averaged 3.4 million viewers, more than doubling TNT's regular season audience. ESPN also enjoyed a ratings uptick

The NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder knelt in protest of racism during the national anthem on Saturday in defiance of one state lawmaker, who threatened the franchise with tax penalties if the players chose to demonstrate.

State representative Sean Roberts said in a statement Friday that the NBA's demonstrations show 'disrespect to the American flag and all it stands for.'

'This anti-patriotic act makes clear the NBA's support of the Black Lives Matter group and its goal of defunding our nation's police, its ties to Marxism and its efforts to destroy nuclear families,' Roberts said in a statement given to The Oklahoman.

'If the Oklahoma City Thunder leadership and players follow the current trend of the NBA by kneeling during the national anthem prior to Saturday's game, perhaps we need to reexamine the significant tax benefits the State of Oklahoma granted the Oklahoma City Thunder organization when they came to Oklahoma.'

The NBA 's Oklahoma City Thunder knelt in protest of racism during the national anthem on Saturday in defiance of one state lawmaker, who threatened the franchise with tax penalties if the players chose to demonstrate

The NBA 's Oklahoma City Thunder knelt in protest of racism during the national anthem on Saturday in defiance of one state lawmaker, who threatened the franchise with tax penalties if the players chose to demonstrate

State representative Sean Roberts said in a statement Friday that the NBA's demonstrations show 'disrespect to the American flag and all it stands for.'
Despite Roberts' pleas, the Thunder protested on Saturday by locking arms with the Jazz players and taking a knee on a court emblazoned with the words: 'Black Lives Matter.' 'Oh man, it was special to be able to do that together as a team and to do it right down in front of Black Lives Matter as players,' Thunder star Chris Paul said. 'We had a lot of conversations about coming down here and the bigger reason of what we were playing for so to do it as a united front was nice'

State representative Sean Roberts said in a statement Friday that the NBA's demonstrations show 'disrespect to the American flag and all it stands for.' Despite Roberts' pleas, the Thunder protested on Saturday by locking arms with the Jazz players and taking a knee on a court emblazoned with the words: 'Black Lives Matter.' 'Oh man, it was special to be able to do that together as a team and to do it right down in front of Black Lives Matter as players,' Thunder star Chris Paul said. 'We had a lot of conversations about coming down here and the bigger reason of what we were playing for so to do it as a united front was nice'

The Thunder were playing the Utah Jazz on Saturday in Orlando, where nearly all NBA players have knelt in protest of racism during the anthem since the pandemic-interrupted season resumed inside the league bubble at Disney World.

Oklahoma City has offered the Thunder several tax breaks over the years, and even imposed sales taxes for 15 months to raise money for renovations to the local arena prior to the team's arrival from Seattle in 2008.

According to Roberts, the Thunder also benefit from a 1993 law, the Quality Jobs Act, which offered cash payments in exchange for creating jobs.

'Through the Quality Jobs Act, the Thunder is still under contract to receive these tax breaks from our state until 2024,' Roberts continued.

'Perhaps these funds would be better served in support of our police departments rather than giving tax breaks to an organization that supports defunding police and his dissolution of the American nuclear family.'

Despite Roberts' pleas, the Thunder protested on Saturday by locking arms with the Jazz players and taking a knee on a court emblazoned with the words: 'Black Lives Matter.' 

Roberts explained his objection to the protest in a statement given to The Oklahoman

Roberts explained his objection to the protest in a statement given to The Oklahoman 

'Oh man, it was special to be able to do that together as a team and to do it right down in front of Black Lives Matter as players,' Thunder star Chris Paul said. 'We had a lot of conversations about coming down here and the bigger reason of what we were playing for so to do it as a united front was nice.'

The players technically violated a 39-year-old league rule requiring everyone to stand for The Star-Spangled Banner.

But as NBA commissioner Adam Silver explained during Utah's 106-104 win over New Orleans on Thursday, the circumstances have changed considerably since May 25, when African-American man George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis police custody.

'I respect our teams' unified act of peaceful protest for social justice and under these unique circumstances will not enforce our long-standing rule requiring standing during the playing of our national anthem,' Silver said in a statement.

Dennis Schroder scores a layup for Oklahoma City at Chesapeake Energy Arena back in November. Oklahoma City has offered the Thunder several tax breaks over the years, and even imposed sales taxes for 15 months to raise money for renovations to the local arena prior to the team's arrival from Seattle in 2008

Dennis Schroder scores a layup for Oklahoma City at Chesapeake Energy Arena back in November. Oklahoma City has offered the Thunder several tax breaks over the years, and even imposed sales taxes for 15 months to raise money for renovations to the local arena prior to the team's arrival from Seattle in 2008

Not only are NBA players suddenly allowed to protest during the anthem, as many NFL players have done since 2016, but league jerseys now feature social justice messages, like 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Equality.'

Despite objections from some fans, the NBA's Nielsen ratings have been solid since the league restarted last week.

Thursday's Lakers-Clippers game averaged 3.4 million viewers, more than doubling TNT's average regular season audience. Meanwhile Friday's Rockets-Mavs game drew 1.7 million viewers, which is up 15 percent from ESPN's regular season average, according to the network.

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