Doc Rivers on Daunte Wright shooting: 'We're canceling Black lives' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Before the Sixers' 113-95 win Monday night over the Mavericks, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers gave his perspective on the police shooting of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man who was killed Sunday in Minnesota during a traffic stop.
As has become the norm for him, he spoke honestly to reporters about a tragic story and the broader state of the country.
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“Frustrating, as should it be for … I think we’ve got to stop saying it’s frustrating for all Black Americans,” Rivers said. “I think we should be frustrated — all Americans. I don’t know if it was a mistake or not. I saw the body cam video, like everyone else. But I just know the frustration is a real thing for everybody. We keep hearing this cancel culture stuff, but we’re canceling Black lives. I think, to me, that’s a little more important, in my opinion. It just keeps happening. We keep making mistakes on killing Black people.
“I don’t want to get it to race, but it’s there. I think we all have weaknesses and we all need to confront them and find out how we can make this place a better world, a better country. To me, improving our culture as a society is really important. Not canceling it, but improving it. Other countries have done a terrific job. I keep going back to Germany; I use Germany as a great example. You don’t see swastikas, you don’t see statues of Nazi soldiers all around — and they don’t say that’s cancel culture. They say that’s improving their culture. I think we need to think more in those terms.”
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Monday night identified Kim Potter as the officer who shot Wright. Brooklyn Center police chief Tim Gannon had earlier told reporters that he he believes the officer "drew their handgun instead of their Taser."
Protestors demonstrated Monday well past the curfew set by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, Twins and Wild all postponed scheduled games Monday. The Nets-Timberwolves game has been rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon, the NBA announced.
