The entire United States of America has its eyes on Election Day. The presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump has been tense. The opposing candidates have welcomed a number of credible speakers to endorse their mission for the nation. If the NBA is concerned, the call has been loud for Harris. However, without the time to actually put a vote on the ballot, their efforts would be futile. Hence, Pelicans’ CJ McCollum and the NBPA have been heavily involved in making stark changes since 2022.

That was the first time the NBA took a break for the midterm elections. “Players, coaches, event staff, and fans all deserve to have the time and space to make their voices heard at the ballot box,” the CEO of Vote.org said back then. NBA stars first started to actively let their voices be heard in 2020. With the world in a pandemic and the USA facing tense times due to the murder of George Floyd, stars such as LeBron James and others began emphasizing the importance of casting a vote.

But since that time, when the Akron Hammer launched his ‘More Than a Vote’ initiative, players’ efforts have dimmed. “These things kind of go in spurts, in waves… Four years ago, was a very heated time in the country with Covid, with the George Floyd murder. I think circumstances dictate a lot of that sort of activity whether its athletes or young people,” he told Andscape.

Hence, McCollum, the President of the NBPA since 2021 worked with Adam Silver and the league to ensure players and teams have the appropriate time to spread. Hence, the NBA will take a break today to ensure all players can allocate time and make an impact.

“It was important. It was something that [the NBPA] talked about and I was vocal about. There is an importance of us being able to spread information to others. It’s important for us to take the time off to make sure everybody goes out and votes and point a spotlight to that,” he told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.

And not only has there been an evident increase in player and team efforts, but their voices have been a lot more direct.

The NBA’s efforts during the Presidential race

Let’s just talk with Steve Kerr. The Warriors head coach was among the first to appear on stage and speak positively about the Democrats’ Kamala Harris. It was there that he took inspiration from Stephen Curry and hit his ‘night night’ on Trump saying, “Leadership, real leadership, is not the kind that seeks to divide us, but the kind that recognizes and celebrates our common purpose,”.

Harris, who even visited Team USA in Vegas during their Olympic preparations seems to have harmonious backing from the NBA. CJ McCollum, who voted early said his choice was an “easy decision”. Additionally, several high-profile celebrities including Curry have openly endorsed her to be the next President at the Oval Office.

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Players have also launched several campaigns to spread awareness about voting such as “When We All Vote”, the National Basketball Coaches Association’s “What’s Your Issue” and several others. Numerous amount of NBA teams will also open their facilities to act as polling locations or ballot drop boxes as mentioned by Spears.

The NBA’s initiative to further help bolster these efforts sends a strong message. Not only players, but with the break, fans will receive encouragement to cast thir vote according to their choices. With some of their favorite athletes endorsing the practice, it’s a great way to influence the audience and spread the importance of voting.

What do you think of the NBA’s initiative? Let us know your views in the comments below.