According to an announcement from the Sacramento Kings, the team will participate in a series of basketball games between incarcerated prisoners and NBA players and coaches at correctional facilities across the United States.
In addition to the Kings, the Milwaukee Bucks will also participate in the events, which are being organized by the Represent Justice Campaign, and more participating teams from the NBA and WNBA will be announced in the coming months.
The series kicked off last night at Folsom State Prison in northern California and featured an hour-long basketball game featuring NBA alumni, coaches and incarcerated individuals which was preceded by facilitated conversations between NBA reps, prisoners and members of the Represent Justice Campaign.
An unforgettable day for the squad at Folsom State Prison.
📸 » https://t.co/8ucvwcRUTD pic.twitter.com/gSsqzhDFvV
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) December 13, 2019
“We’re proud to be the first participant in the Play for Justice initiative, which is shining a bright light on the unique issues facing incarcerated people in communities around the country,” Kings CEO Vivek Ranadivé told The Undefeated. “Sports franchises have a unique opportunity to bring about positive change, which is why in the past year, the Kings and the Bucks brought together leaders from across two cities to share best practices and find new solutions to social injustices. This collaboration with Represent Justice is another example of how we can use our platforms for good.”
In other NBA news, the league announced on Thursday that the Capitanes, a team in Mexico’s top professional league, will join the G League. Set to debut in the G League in the 2020-21 season, the Capitanes will be the first affiliated team outside the United States and Canada.
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