- On Friday, former
NBA player Stephen Jackson spoke at a rally in Minneapolis, offering a tribute to his friendGeorge Floyd , who died after a police officer knelt on his neck earlier in the week. - Jackson grew up with Floyd in Texas, and referred to him as his "twin."
- "You can't tell me when that man had that knee on my brother's neck, taking his life away, with his hands in his pocket, that that smirk on his face didn't say 'I'm protected,'" Jackson said.
- Jackson was joined by fellow NBA players, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On Friday, former NBA player Stephen Jackson offered a heartfelt tribute to his "twin," George Floyd, at a gathering in Minneapolis. Floyd died on Monday night after a white police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes as Floyd pleaded for his life.
Jackson spoke with the media and local activists in Minnesota about Floyd's death, offering a tribute to the life of his friend and demanding justice for those who caused his death. Jackson was joined by fellow NBA players, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie of the Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as Gary Trent Jr. and Royce White, both Minnesota natives.
Jackson's speech was captured on video by Jon Krawczynski, who covers the Timberwolves for The Athletic.
"I'm here because they are not going to demean the character of George Floyd, my twin," Jackson said. "A lot of times, when police do things that they know that's wrong, the first thing they try to do is cover it up and bring up your background to make it seem like the bulls--- they did was worth it.
"When was murder ever worth it? But if it's a black man, it's approved. You can't tell me when that man had that knee on my brother's neck, taking his life away, with his hands in his pocket, that that smirk on his face didn't say 'I'm protected.'"
—Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 29, 2020
Jackson continued:
"Imagine this. A man growing up in an area where the odds are already against you. Trying to figure it out. They say experience is the best teacher, so you're going to make mistakes. Everybody's going to make mistakes.
"You make some bad decisions. It happens, we all make bad decisions, right? Even being successful, I've made bad decisions. You get to a point where you make a bad decision and you end up suffering for it. ... They say you have to rehabilitate yourself. You rehabilitate yourself. You have relationships with people where you're able to get away and try to better your life. Because you've been in the system. All they tell you is the only way to get out is to rehabilitate yourself. And when you rehabilitate yourself, you get out, and you're still treated like a criminal.
"Stay with me now. Picture that. You get the opportunity to move away from the environment that brought you down. You get away, you be successful, you get a job. Your life starts turning in the right direction. You stumble a little bit again — it's not worth your life though. You stumble a little bit again, and you end up on the ground. With a knee in your neck. Screaming your mama's name, screaming your kids' names, going to the bathroom on yourself."
"Imagine if he was white," Jackson said. "Ponder that for a minute. Imagine if he was white."
—Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 29, 2020
"We're going to use our platform. I'm going to use everything I have to get a conviction to get all these motherf---ers in jail, excuse my French, I'm angry. I'm a proud black man. I mean that. From the bottom of my soul.
"We came for justice. We came for convictions. I definitely came because this city is definitely going to take care of my brother's kids. He has two beautiful daughters that he can't provide for."
—Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) May 29, 2020
Jackson, who played 14 seasons in the NBA, had grown up with Floyd in Texas. "We always hung together," Jackson told the "Today" show on Thursday. "Every time I went to Houston, it was my first stop, to stop and pick him up."
"What's killing me the most about this whole thing is, being a professional athlete, so many people abuse your friendship and your kindness," Jackson said. "And he was one of those guys that genuinely supported me. He didn't call unless he really needed it. And you don't have many people that genuinely support you without any motives. And Floyd was that guy."
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