The Power of Basketball: NBA Players, Coaches, and Team Governors on the Fight to Make a Better America

In these earnest if slight essays, members of the NBA’s Social Justice Coalition, formed in 2020 in response to the George Floyd protests, reflect on their commitment to activism. Cleveland Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff argues for “breaking down the stigma Black men often feel about seeking mental health treatment,” lamenting that Black men racially profiled by police often experience post-traumatic stress symptoms but don’t seek help. San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones discusses fearing for his kids’ safety amid frequent school shootings, and notes that the Spurs donated over $1 million to Uvalde, Tex., for mental health services and youth sports equipment after the mass shooting there in 2022. “We desperately need systemic policing reform,” contends retired L.A. Sparks guard Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, recounting how her 22-year-old cousin was killed by a sheriff’s deputy and how her team brought attention to police violence by wearing uniforms bearing Breonna Taylor’s name during the 2020 season. Though a few of the personal stories are heartbreaking, the calls to secure ballot access, eliminate food insecurity, and reform the prison system, among other social justice issues, are largely lacking in specifics, sharing little that readers won’t already know. Despite good intentions, this doesn’t add much to the conversation. (Oct.)