Name: Doc Rivers on how the NBA's 'get out to vote' efforts led to a 96% player voter registration | OTL
Uploaded: 2020-11-07T19:11:43.000Z
Duration: 5 min 32 s
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We're joined now via Zoom by the head coach of the Philadelphia 70 Sixers, Doc Rivers.

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Doc, thank you so much for being with us, Jeremy.

Obviously great toe be here and great toe be with you.

I'm a big fan is you know, and more importantly, we're talking about some serious stuff, which is why we're here.

Look, you've been in the league long time.

How do you compare the level of engagement in this one in 2020 toe?

All of those others, I can combine all those others, maybe other than the first run with President Obama, I was very intense and involved in that one, but way more involved in this one.

Quite honestly, You know, you would think we got a chance to get the first black president, and that that would be more important or bigger.

Uh, in my opinion of our lifetime on for for so many reasons, when you were growing up, athletes were engaged, but by the time you got a lead.

In the eighties, the rule was pretty much stay out of electoral politics.

Now, to see this generation dive in the way it has?

I am so proud of our young players of our young people.

You know, I was in that room in the bubble when we decided not to play.

We're just watching them work and all the passion and energy that was in that room the first night.

No, but listen, I also challenged them that night too.

Is that Listen, if we're gonna talk to talk, we gotta vote.

We can't be a lead to talked about voting and then don't vote.

And so, you know, I think when we came into the bubble, 10% of the league was registered to vote.

By the time we left the bubble, 90% of the league was registered to vote.

Um, when When the players did walk out on August 26th.

Yeah, I thought the significance was were twofold.

First we have to come to grips with what we really were.

And I think a lot of times we believe, like, I'm a coach and people know me and LeBron James is a player, and lots of people know him.

And and we can't change the world in a day.

We're entertainers who have the mic who can get things done.

But you have to come to an agreement on what you have to do.

And I thought narrowing the scope was brilliant by our players.

But more importantly, they realized, I'm an athlete.

But then I'm also an American citizen who has the right to get involved in politics because politics are involved in our lives every moment and every day.

So you can either sit on the sidelines and let them affect you, or you can get involved and our guys have now chosen.

What do you think the impact was if there was any of being told?

I thought we were already ignoring that anyway.

Think just right now, Jeremy, we're being told not to vote or they're trying to make it hard for us to vote.

You don't tell us that you don't tell people that you don't tell the American people that they can't vote or that they're gonna be disenfranchised.

So I think it's working in that way as well.

We're gonna keep dribbling and we're going to keep talking, and then we're not gonna allow you to vote.

How do you think athletes can maintain what we have seen over the course off the last six?

Seven months and especially since May since the killing of George Floyd.

But something that that does go back over the last few years.

Um, since the beginning of the black lives matter movement?

You know, the key is voting is important, right?

Like we gotta get out and vote and we can change policy by vote.

The second part is, let's say if we're successful and whatever, whoever we want to win wins, then you gotta make sure you stay engaged with that person in that group to make sure all the things that you have been fighting for for the vote is followed through.

And so the follow through is Justus, important as the vote.

And I think the pressure not just athletes, but everyone who votes and whatever candidate they vote for that person gets in.

You've got to stay in charge and you got to stay involved.

I don't think people really get that, but they do.

But they only work for you if you tell them that you're gonna stay involved, Doc Rivers.

 Thanks for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming sports and premium content. 

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Doc Rivers on how the NBA's 'get out to vote' efforts led to a 96% player voter registration | OTL

intense

essentially

engage

profound