Former NBA star and co-host of "Inside The NBA" Kenny Smith walked off the set of the show on Wednesday in solidarity with players who went on strike following the shooting of Jacob Blake.

.@TheJetOnTNT stands with the NBA players. pic.twitter.com/39Sby1D5kn

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 26, 2020

“As a Black man, as a former player, I think it’s best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight. I just don’t feel equipped to be here,” Smith said before taking off his microphone and walking off while on-air of the pregame show.

Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley remained on the set and continue the show with moderator Ernie Johnson, discussing the ramifications of the NBA strike.

Blake was shot by officers multiple times in the back as his children watched on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin. His family said one of the bullets severed his spine, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, as Blavity previously reported.

Smith's decision came after NBA players took a powerful step on Wednesday, deciding to go on strike and forcing the NBA to cancel the games on Wednesday and Thursday.

The strike was initiated when the Milwaukee Bucks refused to come out of the locker room ahead of their playoff matchup against the Orlando Magic. Milwaukee is about 45 minutes away from where Blake was shot.

In 2018, eight officers tased Sterling Brown, a guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, for parking in a handicap spot. They knocked him to the ground, beat him and arrested him.

After the Bucks decided to go on strike, other teams joined in and refused to play their upcoming games.

The NBA strike had a ripple effect on the entire sports world, leading to other sports leagues making the decision to cancel games and matches on Wednesday. The WNBA, MLB and MLS all decided against playing games and even tennis star Naomi Osaka refused to step on the court for her Western & Southern Open match.

NFL teams canceled practices and the NHL also considered postponing games in light of the protests over Blake's shooting.

On Thursday, after multiple meetings between all of the players, officials, coaches and team owners, the players decided to resume the playoffs. The players were initially hesitant to resume play, and league star LeBron James vocally advocated for players to end the playoffs entirely.

Before resuming play, players have discussed tangible actions team owners could take to address their concerns about social justice issues.

"They just wanted to know what they could do. They wanted something tangible that they could do in the short and long term. They wanted the walkout to be step 1," Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes said on Wednesday after Bucks players forced a phone call with him.

In an emergency meeting of team owners, Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan
pushed other owners to support the players and figure out ways they could help their cause, according to ESPN.

He spoke personally with National Basketball Players Association president Chris Paul and with Russel Westbrook about what the players were looking for from team owners.

"Right now, listening is better than talking," Jordan told the other team owners on the virtual meeting.

Kenny-Smith

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