Milwaukee Bucks

If Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to purchase one of his rookie cards about to hit the market, the Milwaukee Bucks star might have to pony up roughly a tenth of his $25.8 million salary for this season.

Goldin Auctions is selling an Antetokounmpo card from the 2013-14 Panini National Treasures set. Not only does the card feature the reigning NBA MVP's autograph, but it also features the NBA logo patch from a jersey he wore.

TMZ Sports reported bidding could reach as much as $2 million for the one-of-a-kind insert.

In July, a 2003-04 Upper Deck LeBron James rookie card went for just over $1.8 million at auction, setting the record for the most expensive basketball card. As with the Giannis rookie card, that card included LeBron's autograph and a piece of his game-used jersey.

In a B/R Mag piece, DeMarco Williams explained how the basketball card market has exploded in recent months. The effect is evident from the potential price tag for Giannis' autograph relic card.

The Milwaukee Bucks' decision to not play their Game 5 matchup against the Orlando Magic was not one with a grander plan in mind. It was born out of emotion, a combination of exhaustion and anger over continued police brutality against Black people in the United States.

As their fellow players went on strike in solidarity with the Bucks, however, LeBron James wondered to himself how to create actionable change out of the unplanned work stoppage.

"When I went to bed, I had major reservations about playing," LeBron told The Athletic's Joe Vardon. "It wasn't what they (the Bucks) said; we heard what they said. It was, 'What the f--k are we going to do now? Are we just going to go back out there and play again, after all of this, with no plan?' Nah. What was the plan?

"I woke up Thursday morning and I came up with a plan."

The Bucks' strike amounted to what's called a wildcat strike, or a refusal to work without the overall union's support or approval. While the remaining players in the bubble quickly followed suit, all parties had to work quickly as they wanted both actionable change and to save the remainder of the playoffs.

A formal strike not authorized by the NBA would have instantly invalidated the collective bargaining agreement, which was why the games were categorized as "postponed." As James noted, some players felt as if it would be near-impossible to create actionable change without walking away from the season entirely.

"If we don't have a plan, then what are we talking about? Why are we still here?" James said.

A small group of players, including James, consulted with Barack Obama, who advised them to continue playing and use their platform to create social change. Players and ownership came to an agreement to further support social justice causes, which include teams opening their arenas as polling places for November's election. 

"It's not just about me, but it's about every other player in this league and how we continue to shed light about things that's going on in our community, things that's going on in America, things going on around the world and being able to have this platform, which is the NBA's platform, and we're together," LeBron said.

The Milwaukee Bucks had a phone call with the father of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man police shot seven times in the back in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last Sunday.

Bucks forward and reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed with reporters the team's conversation with Jacob Blake Sr. after his team's 118-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday:

The Bucks decided against taking the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Magic, which was previously scheduled for Wednesday. The team's players explained why in a statement later that day:

The rest of the NBA followed suit, with the league taking a three-day postseason pause while the players discussed whether to continue the season. Postponement and protests also occurred in MLB, the WNBA, the NHL and MLS as well.

The Bucks also sent a jersey with signatures from everyone in the organization to Blake.

"They reached out to my son, sent him a jersey that was signed by the whole organization ... that made him smile," Blake Sr. told Alisyn Camerota on CNN's New Day (h/t TMZ Sports).

Milwaukee's win over the Magic Saturday sealed the team's 4-1 first-round series win. The Bucks will now face the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

When George Hill entered the Milwaukee Bucks locker room for Game 5 of a first-round series against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, no one knew he didn't plan on dressing.

Only after he shared his plan to protest police brutality in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake did his teammates also decide not to play.

On Saturday, after the Bucks eliminated the Magic with a 118-104 win in the rescheduled Game 5, Hill said Wednesday's protest was the result of a trickle-down effect. Once Hill said he wouldn't play, the Bucks said they wouldn't, either. Within hours, the NBA postseason had been postponed.

"I don't want any credit for it," Hill said. "I just was a human and followed my heart."

Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot in the back seven times in front of his children by officer Rusten Sheskey while returning to his car after an alleged domestic dispute in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Blake is expected to survive but is paralyzed from the waist down.

Kenosha is about 35 miles south of Milwaukee.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was warming up when Hill made it known he was going to protest. Once Antetokounmpo heard that Hill and Sterling Brown wouldn't play, the reigning MVP decided he wouldn't either.

Brown sued the city of Milwaukee and said officers targeted him and used excessive force while citing him for a parking violation in 2018.

On Wednesday, the team remained in its locker room and called Wisconsin's attorney general and lieutenant governor to demand justice on behalf of Blake, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Once news of the protest broke, other NBA teams indicated they would follow suit. The league postponed the playoffs before that could happen.

Soon, WNBA, MLB, MLS and NHL teams postponed games too. A number of NFL teams canceled practice.

On Thursday, NBA players and owners came together on a set of initiatives aimed at advancing social justice, voting rights and criminal justice reform.

Hill may not want credit, but history will remember him as the player who helped spur one of the most remarkable protests in sports history.

While the Milwaukee Bucks were taking part in their 118-104 playoff win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, Bucks senior vice president Alex Lasry was participating in a march demanding justice for Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was shot seven times in the back by police trying to detain him in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Bucks were at the forefront of recent professional sports protests against systemic racism and police brutality this week after the police shooting of Blake, which occurred roughly 40 miles from Milwaukee.

The team decided against taking the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic, which was initially scheduled for Wednesday. Bucks players then made a statement as a team explaining their decision.

Lasry and other members of the Bucks' front office praised the players' stand:

Other NBA teams followed the Bucks' lead, and playoff games were put on pause until Saturday, when Milwaukee finished its series against Orlando with a 118-104 win.

MLB, the WNBA, NHL and MLS also postponed games in solidarity with NBA players' decisions.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic took to the court for the rescheduled Game 5 of their first-round series Saturday after a work stoppage led by the Bucks on Wednesday. Following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, Milwaukee's players protested against systemic racism and police brutality by refusing to play.

Shooting guard Wesley Matthews told reporters Saturday the team stood by that decision and felt no need to apologize after the NBA season was nearly ended in the wake of the stoppage:

"I feel like we did what any team would've done in that situation. And we're not apologetic for what we did, what we feel is right. Obviously, with communication it could've been a little bit better, but in a moment like that, sometimes there isn't time for it.

"You can't script change. You can't script moments. And we saw an opportunity to be with our brother, to show that we're human, to show that this is visibly and emotionally and physically impactful even though we are here in the bubble, disconnected from the outside world in certain retrospect, that it still hits and it's still a problem and a call to legislation to help."

Rather than play Game 5, the Bucks talked with Wisconsin's attorney general and lieutenant governor to seek justice on Blake's behalf, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The 29-year-old Black man was returning to his car after an alleged domestic dispute when officer Rusten Sheskey shot him in the back seven times. Blake, whose children were in the car, is expected to survive but is paralyzed from the waist down.

Shortly after the Bucks announced they were striking in protest, the league postponed play. Players and teams across MLB, MLS and the WNBA protested in solidarity, and their leagues also postponed games.

Matthews said Milwaukee expected to forfeit Game 5 and allow Orlando to climb within a game of evening the series.

"The idea of going down 3-2 and making that sacrifice or giving that up for what we thought was more important and bigger than a game of basketball, a playoff game," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "A situation where we could be 3-2, I think the room, I don't think anybody totally grasped exactly what was gonna happen but certainly knew that this was possible and that this was big and there was no hesitation in regards to going down 3-2."

Budenholzer said the idea of striking was led by assistant coach Darvin Ham, George Hill and Sterling Brown—who sued the city of Milwaukee after a police officer used a Taser on him while citing him for a parking violation in 2018.

The NBA and players agreed to resume the playoffs and announced multiple social justice and voter access initiatives by the league.

"We didn't think that this was gonna turn the way that it did," Matthews said, "but we are grateful for the fact that that moment, that pause, that postponement was able to help everybody reflect again and realize that everybody's gotta step up."

The Milwaukee Bucks sent Jacob Blake a jersey signed by the entire organization, according to his father, Jacob Blake Sr.

"They reached out to my son, sent him a jersey that was signed by the whole organization...that made him smile," Blake told Alisyn Camerota on CNN's New Day (h/t TMZ Sports).

Police shot Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times in the back while attempting to detain him in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last Sunday. Family attorney Benjamin Crump told reporters that Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down.

The Bucks protested systemic racism and police brutality Wednesday after refusing to take the court for Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic.

That eventually led to the NBA postseason being paused for three days and games in the WNBA, MLB and MLS being called off as well in solidarity.

Protests against systemic racism and police brutality have taken place all summer, most notably after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last May. NBA players and teams have been active at the forefront of that fight, notably taking part in on- and off-court protests.

That fight has been taken to another level since the Blake shooting, which eventually led to the NBA and NBPA coming together and forming a new plan to fight for social justice.

The postseason will begin again Saturday, beginning with the Bucks' game against the Magic at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Other teams around the NBA were reportedly frustrated with the Milwaukee Bucks for not including them in the decision to sit out Wednesday's game against the Orlando Magic following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, "there was some frustration" expressed toward the Bucks during Wednesday's meeting of players after three playoff games were postponed because some felt Milwaukee was "blindsiding on walk-out plan."

Charania noted Bucks guard George Hill said he was the one who kick-started the discussion about potentially sitting out before his teammates joined him.

As for the actual meeting, Charania reported the Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers were the only two teams that voted to sit out the rest of the season.

However, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted "the Clippers and Lakers voting on perhaps not continuing with the season was considered more of a polling, than a final vote, sources tell ESPN. The resumption of the playoffs remains still up in the air."

Despite the reported frustration from some players directed toward the Bucks, the team's decision not to play drew praise from many. Former President Barack Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders were among those who commended Milwaukee for its actions:

So was Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, who said he supported Milwaukee's decision and believed the team did not have to explain itself, per Wojnarowski.

Following their decision not to play, players on the Bucks released a statement:

Hill and Sterling Brown read the following:

"The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American communities. Citizens around the country have used their voices and platforms to speak out against these wrongdoings. Over the last few days, in our home state of Wisconsin, we've seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha and the additional shooting of protesters. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball.

"When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable. We hold each other to that standard, and in this moment, we are demanding the same from lawmakers and law enforcement. We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand the officers to be held accountable. For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin state legislature to reconvene after months of inaction and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability, brutality and criminal justice reform. We encourage all citizens to educate themselves, take peaceful and responsible action and remember to vote on Nov. 3."

Plenty of uncertainty about the immediate future of the NBA season remains, and Wojnarowski reported Thursday's three playoff games are "unlikely" to be played.

"Everyone is still too emotional," a source told Wojnarowski. "There needs to be more time to come together on this."

Former President Barack Obama praised the Milwaukee Bucks for their decision to sit out Wednesday's playoff game against the Orlando Magic and offered his support for those in the NBA and WNBA who are using their platform to fight against systemic racism and police brutality.

Obama tweeted out the message with a video of Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers' emotional statement about the police shooting of Jacob Blake and more following his team's win Tuesday:

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Bucks decided to sit out the game in the wake of the police shooting of Blake, and the NBA eventually announced Wednesday's three playoff games were postponed.

The WNBA also announced the three scheduled Wednesday games in its league were postponed.

After deciding not to play, the Bucks players released a statement demanding justice for Blake.

Guards George Hill and Sterling Brown read the following statement:

"The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American communities. Citizens around the country have used their voices and platforms to speak out against these wrongdoings. Over the last few days, in our home state of Wisconsin, we've seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha and the additional shooting of protesters. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball.

"When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable. We hold each other to that standard, and in this moment, we are demanding the same from lawmakers and law enforcement. We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand for the officers to be held accountable. For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin state legislature to reconvene after months of inaction and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability, brutality and criminal justice reform. We encourage all citizens to educate themselves, take peaceful and responsible action and remember to vote on Nov. 3."

Wojnarowski reported there is "sentiment" within the Bucks that they still want to continue playing in the bubble. Wojnarowski also reported the NBA scheduled a Board of Governors meeting for Thursday.

Obama was not the only politician to offer support to those athletes who made decisions not to play Wednesday. 

Senator Bernie Sanders did the same and also praised the players and teams who didn't take the field in Major League Baseball:

Police shot Blake in the back multiple times when he was near a car that attorney Benjamin Crump said was carrying Blake's three sons.

The shooting led to protests, and Gina Barton, Cary Spivak and Bruce Vielmetti of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Kyle Rittenhouse—who considered himself part of a militia—was arrested and charged with shooting three people, two of whom died, during the protest.

Milwaukee Bucks players released a statement Wednesday, demanding justice for Jacob Blake and for the police officers involved in his shooting to be held accountable for their actions.

Guards George Hill and Sterling Brown read the following statement:

"The past four months have shed a light on the ongoing racial injustices facing our African American communities. Citizens around the country have used their voices and platforms to speak out against these wrongdoings. Over the last few days, in our home state of Wisconsin, we've seen the horrendous video of Jacob Blake being shot in the back seven times by a police officer in Kenosha and the additional shooting of protesters. Despite the overwhelming plea for change, there has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball. 

"When we take the court and represent Milwaukee and Wisconsin, we are expected to play at a high level, give maximum effort and hold each other accountable. We hold each other to that standard, and in this moment, we are demanding the same from lawmakers and law enforcement. We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand for the officers to be held accountable. For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin state legislature to reconvene after months of inaction and take up meaningful measures to address issues of police accountability, brutality and criminal justice reform. We encourage all citizens to educate themselves, take peaceful and responsible action and remember to vote on Nov. 3."

Bucks players refused to play in Wednesday's scheduled playoff game against the Orlando Magic, three days after Kenosha, Wisconsin police shot Blake in the back seven times (striking him four) as he reached into his car in an attempt to check on his three children. The Bucks' strike led to the five remaining teams scheduled to play Wednesday (Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers) also choosing not play.

The NBA has said the games will be rescheduled. However, players are expected to meet later Wednesday to discuss potential actions for the remainder of the 2020 playoffs. Several players entered the Orlando bubble wary that a return to basketball would distract from pushes for social justice reform that swept the country after George Floyd's death in police custody.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, there is sentiment within the Bucks that the team wants to continue playing this season.

Protests have been ongoing in Kenosha since Blake's shooting. Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old white man, was arrested for allegedly killing two protesters and shooting another Wednesday. Rittenhouse, a supporter of the "Blue Lives Matter" movement and President Donald Trump, allegedly considered himself part of a militia.

Blake was paralyzed from the waist down by the shooting, and it's considered unlikely he will ever walk again. Rusten Sheskey has been identified as the officer who shot Blake.