“It’s not crazy. That’s the norm, “said George Hill, Oklahoma City guard. “What did you expect? Did you expect anything else? I’m not at all surprised by all this. I knew it was going to happen.”
When Hill was asked if he was referring to protesters loyal to President Donald Trump, who on Wednesday or Tuesday forced the U.S. Capitol’s announcement that prosecutors in Kenosha, Wisconsin, would not file criminal charges against police officers in the shooting of African-Americans in August. Jacob Blake, he explained to The Undefeated: “I refer to it all.”
The then-Milwaukee Bucks guard became a prominent figure in the NBA’s social justice movement on August 26 when he told head coach Mike Budenholzer and three black assistant coaches during lunch that he was not in a playoff game against the Orlando Magic in protest against the Blake shooting. The Bucks eventually made history by jointly deciding not to play. Hill and then-teammate Sterling Brown, who endured police brutality in Milwaukee, spoke on behalf of the team after the protest was announced.
The NBA eventually postponed all three games that day and no playoffs took place over a three-day period. The WNBA, MLB, the NHL and tennis star Naomi Osaka also followed in the following days with protests.
“I’m definitely proud of what I did,” Hill said. “I really did not try to spark anything. I just did what I really really wanted to think. I did not know what others might do or what others might think or the consequences that might result from it, or the positive consequences of it. I did not think about it. I was just thinking about what I think was right. What I believe in is what humanity should be, and I did it. ”
Hill, who is now with the Thunder after being traded by the Bucks in the off-season, caught up with The Undefeated before playing against the host New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday for the next V&A.
The NBA three-day rally finally got the players focused on voting. You also returned to Milwaukee in October to join about 50 volunteers from the Milwaukee-based organization Common Ground to encourage people to vote early. How do you reflect on that?
I stood for that change. For people to feel comfortable in their skin. To feel comfortable speaking the truth and standing up for something. Going into these neighborhoods and going door to door and fighting with the people of Wisconsin who really cared meant a lot. I talked to young men and young women who had never voted in their lives about its importance. The importance of using their voice and coming out and voting was the reason Wisconsin was overthrown this year.
I was very excited, not only for myself, but also for the state of Wisconsin and the city of Milwaukee and all the other surrounding cities. They saw such things and went out and voted. It meant something to them. It just was no longer an election.
How did you make the decision on Tuesday in Kenosha that no criminal charges will be filed against the officer who shot and paralyzed Jacob Blake?
I took it hard at first. But I have already prepared for this. I prayed about it and prepared [mentally] for that because I knew it was going to happen where none of the police would be held responsible for anything. We’ve seen it all too often. It’s like that old turntable playing the same song over and over again.
I knew. I felt bad for Mr and Mrs Blake. I felt bad for Jacob himself. I felt bad that his kids had to see it. You have to keep living. When things happen, you keep on figuring out other things. I will continue to pray for the family, his children and himself. But I knew justice would not be served.
When you were in the bubble and sparked the Bucks protest, did you get any backlash from opponents for what you and the team did without talking to other teams?
Everyone had mixed emotions. I will never throw anyone out there. I just know that not everyone agrees on certain things, and that’s normal. But I’m not the one who’s going to say that this person did it or that this person did not agree to it. All I can say is that not everyone felt the same way.
How did you trade from the Bucks to the Thunder on November 23 after everything you did there on and off the track?
If you do things that flush out feathers and are out of the norm, you have learned that there will be a setback with it. I prepared myself that summer for the fact that I was probably not there. People thought I was probably crazy about it. But I’m a human. It is what it is. We’ve seen it many times before.
We saw Colin Kaepernick [kneel] for what he believed and they tried to destroy his life. I would accept it with open arms if I could not go play for Milwaukee again. No contempt for them. They did what they thought was right for the organization.
Do you think the Bucks you traded were just a basketball move or more?
We will never know, right? It’s not me to talk about it if it’s more. If it’s more than basketball, then they’ll live with it. If it were not, we would never know. I’m sure they will not come out and say that. So it does not really matter.
How has it been for you so far in Oklahoma City? Do you want an impact out there in court?
No matter how long I have been in a city, I want to do something to influence the city. The first thing we need to work on is this Julius Jones case and try to get him out of the death penalty. I think it’s big. Part of my job is to be myself and keep moving on my own partner.
[Thunder general manager] Sam Presti and owner Clay Bennett have been phenomenal since I got here. They welcomed, supported and took me and embraced me with open arms. I have nothing bad to say about this organization. They were first class and it was really nice to be here.
How are you involved in the Julius Jones situation?
I talked to people who taught me more about the situation before I jumped into something and did not know. We were in conversation. I know our owner, Clay Bennett, is big on police reform. I look forward to meeting with him and getting to know more about the things he is involved in, and talking about things that are meaningful to me.
The 100th anniversary of the race riots in Tulsa is about to begin. Do you hope to be a part of the commemoration?
Definitely so. I was talking to our young guys here in Oklahoma when I first arrived here. Many of them did not even know what had happened. I would like to get involved. I would like to drive and visit [the memorial] and the city on one of my days, and where it took place. This is a big educational thing for me … I definitely want to visit the city, walk around, shake hands and be a part of it.
Do you still enjoy the game of basketball despite what is going on and being traded in the world?
I still enjoy the game. I’m not a fan of basketball when I watch it and play video games, and am locked into every game that appears on TV. But I’m in love on the competitive side. I like to compete. I like going out there and playing with my teammates.
That being said, I still like the game. Is it a little different from team to team now? You try to give everything you have to an organization that is loyal and things like that. Sometimes it doesn’t feel reciprocal. But as they say, ‘It’s a business’, right?
The Black Lives Matter signs on the court, the messages about social justice on the back of the jerseys and other messages are gone this season. Would you agree that the enthusiasm for speaking out against social justice by the NBA and players does not seem to be the same as in the bubble?
[The NBA] had to do it. This is the only way they can get the players back and play. They had to give them something. They got what we wanted. They played.
From the players’ point of view, it’s just quiet. Guys are really starting to see that it does not matter, no matter what you do, what you say. America is going to live as America felt it should be lived. As we see what is going on today, would blood be shed if the tables were turned and 100 black men were stolen – from the Capitol building and vandalized? Would faces be slapped? I would think so.
Blood was shed and people were beaten because they were just protesting and people looting various businesses. We are talking here about state capital. We’re not talking about Target or Walmart. We are talking about state capital. If America allows it, but we do not allow people to get upset about a guy [white cop] kneel on someone’s neck [George Floyd], it just shows what America really is.
Where should NBA players go from here this season with the social justice movement?
I can not speak for everyone. I can only speak for myself. I just think with the way the world is going, I just think we should all get along. We are 450 [players] and if 450 stands strong, we are more powerful than everyone thinks. …
We are much more powerful than they think we are. I learned a lot from LeBron [James] and how he migrates and moves up and down the floor. He is a great inspiration for how he uses his lever to open doors and how powerful he is. This is just one man. Four hundred and fifty can be really strong if we just get together.
We just have to keep fighting the good fight. Today we show where we really are in this country. I think the last few days show us what we can do when we get together. I give my hat out there to all the people who went to vote. I give my hat to all the people who are still walking and fighting in the street. And it’s for everyone.