After participating in meetings with NBA players, coaches, and team governors focused on how the league can increase its ability to fight for social justice, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers highlighted that further action is needed outside of the league to bring lasting changes.
"It's not the NBA's job to solve the world. It's the NBA's job to be part of the world," the bench boss said, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk.
Rivers then reflected on the importance of persevering in order to make an impact.
"Change doesn't happen a lot of times quickly, either. I think our players actually kind of learned that over the past couple days," the 58-year-old said on Friday.
"Just because something hasn't happened, doesn't mean it can't happen," Rivers added. "Don't give into something that hasn't happened, keep pushing, keep working."
Rivers added the players were phenomenal during meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, and that he was impressed with their ability to collaborate with owners.
"We needed a moment to breathe ... the players took it. And they got to refocus on the things that they wanted to focus on outside of their jobs. And then they voiced it, they organized it, they got it together, they understood they can't do everything on their own, that we all need help to get things done."
On Friday, the NBA and NBPA announced the formation of a social justice coalition aimed at increasing access to voting, promoting civic engagement, and advocating for police and criminal justice reform.
After not playing games from Aug. 26-28, the NBA playoffs will officially resume Saturday, Aug. 29.
