Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder: ‘As of right now, our group will be intact going to Orlando’
For the first time since the NBA shut down on March 11, Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder met with local reporters and others on Thursday.
His comments were focused on the social issues that are at the forefront of many conversations in the United States, as he has become one of the key figures of a committee of NBA coaches that is working to make the league more influential in bringing about social change.
While he didn’t address much concerning the league’s pending return to play in Orlando, he did say he feels it will allow for these conversations to have a big stage. From a basketball perspective, he noted that, “As of right now, our group will be intact going to Orlando.”
On Donovan Mitchell’s social media activity and response to racially charged comments:
On Donovan Mitchell's social media activity and response to racially charged comments Snyder said "I’m extremely proud of Donovan that he’s articulating...something that’s important to our society at large."...CONT
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 25, 2020
Quin continued: "There were a lot of positive comments surrounding Donovan’s post, that said there were also comments that were abominable that we should never tolerate." Said focus on the positive comments only would be a mistake.
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 25, 2020
Quin continued on Mitchell's social media responses: "As long as those comments are there, there’s work to be done. To the extent that he made some people uncomfortable is a positive thing."
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 25, 2020
More on racial issues:
Quin Snyder opened things by saying that he is proud of the social activity of his players and noted Jordan Clarkson being a part of peaceful protests in Los Angeles. "For them to express themselves, intentionally and thoughtfully… is good in itself and it’s thought provoking."
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 25, 2020
Quin Snyder said that education in the home about inequality and racial issues is where things can start and that he's been trying to get his kids involved with that dialogue. Snyder, his wife and kids all went to Juneteenth celebration so that they could see and experience it
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 25, 2020
Snyder also addressed the makeup of his team for the scheduled resumption of the NBA season in Orlando:
Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder: "As of right now our group is going to be intact going to Orlando but we will continue that dialogue [with respect to the many concerns the players have]."
— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) June 25, 2020
This story will be updated.