New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum continues to push for voter involvement among NBA players

The NBA holds regular season games on Halloween, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Inauguration Day and Presidents’ Day. As of today, on Election Day, the NBA and its player leaders prefer to keep the main target of the election for the President of the United States and native government officials on the polls, not on the court.

“It was important,” New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, who can be president of the NBA Players Association, told Andscape about his absence on Election Day. “It was something that (NBBA) was talking about and I was vocal about it. It is important that we can share information with others. It’s important for us to take time off to make sure everyone goes out and votes and pays attention.”

No NBA games will probably be played on Election Day. The NBA and NBPA have partnered with civic organizations and hope today’s pause will encourage players and fans to get out, vote and take part in civic life. The NBA has joined forces with nonpartisan civic organizations to promote voter registration and academic resources through its “Get in the Game: Vote” initiative. The league participated in National Vote Early Day on October 29. Additionally, eight NBA teams (Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trailblazers, Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons) use their facilities for voting locations or ballot drop boxes.

The NBPA told Andscape it’s unsure what number of players are registered to vote. The NBA typically has around 450 players on its roster, and the season began with a record 125 international players from 40 countries. NBA players comparable to Jaylen Brown, Damian Lillard, Jeff Green, Harrison Barnes, Kyle Kuzma and Larry Nance Jr. participated in public service announcements encouraging people to vote. On October 22, your entire San Antonio Spurs roster and head coach Gregg Popovich voted together upfront.

Through the National Basketball Coaches Association, coaches made a PSA encouraging voting titled “What’s Your Problem?” NBA stars Stephen Curry and Chris Paul are also board members of When We All Vote. The NBPA Foundation, Social Change Fund and TUNL – a platform connecting sports, fashion and culture – donated $60,000 to When We All Vote to host 4 Party on the Polls events in Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin. NBA players Keita Bates-Diop, Kevon Looney, Jarred Vanderbilt and Peyton Watson also teamed up with TUNL to create “But Did You Vote?” sweatshirts and T-shirts.

“We simply feel a responsibility to share the message in regards to the importance of voting and use our platform to achieve this. All we will do is give it our all,” McCollum said.

McCollum also participated in a voting PSA titled “What Will You Choose?” with several WNBA players. McCollum also encouraged black men to vote, and the Pelicans documented McCollum’s participation in early voting and posted it on social media.

The 2016 NBA Most Improved Player said he felt confident that every one of his teammates were eligible to vote.

Several players and team staff were registered thanks to the assistance of Pelicans assistant coach Jarron Collins’ wife, Elsa, who handled registration on the training facility. Elsa Collins is the founding father of I Am a Voter, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to making a cultural shift around voting and civic engagement.

“(Collins’) wife came and made sure everyone was registered,” McCollum said. “She made sure everyone voted, even absentees, and let everyone know what to do. I did the early voting process in New Orleans. Our team followed me to deliver the message. I’m doing this to spread awareness…

“We (Pelicans players) handled it. “Everyone did what they had to do to get in line to vote depending on where they lived.”

In 2020, NBA players were inspired by systemic racism and police brutality against Black Americans to encourage voting through the coronavirus pandemic. This occurred within the wake of the brutal police deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the shooting of Jacob Blake by a police officer. NBA players also urged several teams to arrange facilities at polling places for the 2020 presidential election.

But now McCollum and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr have acknowledged that NBA players’ interest in promoting voting has waned in the present election cycle.

“There was more time to be aware,” McCollum said of 2020. “You didn’t do anything (through the pandemic), so that you see every little thing and we’re exposed to every little thing. Everyone was locked down and everybody was staying at home… The news spread quickly. Now everyone seems to be going back to work, people have their very own lives they usually aren’t necessarily as exploited as they were before. In 2020, the world stopped. Everyone paid attention.

“We put the emphasis on 2020, but we’re still doing it. Many facilities are still open (as polling places).”

Kerr said: “These things occur in spurts, in waves. For most of my sports profession, athletes didn’t express themselves politically in any respect. Four years ago, there was a extremely popular time within the country due to Covid, due to the murder of George Floyd. I feel circumstances dictate a whole lot of such a activity, whether it’s athletes or young people.

“This is the history of our country. (During) Vietnam (war) everything went up. This came right after the civil rights movement with Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar), (Muhammad) Al and Jim Brown. Then there is great silence. It’s a bit like anything else, it comes and goes. I think it has to do with fatigue. At some point, people just want to get on with life and live their lives. Because of this, there is a lot of hesitancy.”

Kerr, Popovich and Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers have publicly stated that they’re voting for Kamala Harris for president of the United States and consider that former President Donald Trump has divided the country. Kerr spoke on the Democratic National Convention on Harris’ behalf, while a video in support of Curry was also played there. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James condemned Trump on social media last week he explained his decision to the media and why he supports Harris. Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac also said in a social media post on April 3 that “based on the politics and ideologies of both parties, as a Christian and an American, it’s hard to want these things and vote for Kamala.”

McCollum stated he planned to vote for Harris and held a social media conversation through which he urged more African Americans to vote.

When asked why he voted for Harris, McCollum replied: “Have you seen Trump and how divisive he is? “All these things that we have seen in the past with the lack of respect for certain populations, this is an easy decision (for Harris).”