Bucks' Brown intends to play: 'The platform that we have is powerful'

Sterling Brown believes suiting up in games once the NBA resumes its season will afford him the greatest opportunity to promote social justice and racial equality.

"A lot of eyes will be on us while we're in Orlando. People can actually see us and see our messages that we can give while we're playing or at halftime, before a game, or whatever," Brown told ESPN's Eric Woodyard on Thursday. "There's a lot of ways to get out key messages and I feel like I want to take advantage of that. We've got a platform like none other. We've got resources like none other."

The Milwaukee Bucks guard added: "I definitely feel like by playing, we can use the platform to promote different things. To promote what's going on currently with the police brutality and fighting for justice, but we can also promote many other problems that's in the black community because we will have a platform."

Brown has personally been subjected to mistreatment by police. He has a legal action ongoing against the city of Milwaukee after city police officers used a Taser gun on him in a parking lot after issuing him a traffic citation in January 2018.

"(The NBA platform has) allowed my case to bring light to the injustices and everything that's going on in the city of Milwaukee and their police department," Brown said. "So, the platform that we have is powerful, and it does bring recognition and it does change mindsets and it does get dialogue going and it gets people aware and it gets people fired up."

Brown's stance on playing out the season echos that of Houston Rockets guard Austin Rivers, who recently noted wages earned by players during the league's return could be used to support the fight for racial justice.

While Brown intends to play in Orlando, the 25-year-old said he understands the position of players like Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, who is reportedly opposed to players partaking in the season restart.

"I don't disagree with guys that want to sit out. They're definitely doing it for a good cause," Brown said. "They're doing it for a good reason."