Brown: George Floyd and Trayvon Martin were victims of “domestic terrorism”

Following Sunday’s 122-119 overtime win over the Orlando Magic, Jaylen Brown spoke to members of the media for seven and a half minutes.

None of which was about the game he just played in or basketball at all.

Brown continued to use his elevated platform to speak out powerfully and thoughtfully on social justice reform and gave his perspective on the term police brutality especially after the recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police.

“We watched George Floyd, a human being, be violently killed. The four men who nonchalantly terrorized Floyd belong to a state sponsored law enforcement,” Brown said. “Law enforcement historically in America has targeted and profiled black and minority civilian populations throughout time. I’m aware that some Americans have the birthright and the privilege to see police officers as protectors or maybe even peace keepers or even embraced heroism.

“Unfortunately, I’m not from that side of America. I’m from the other side where people are in fear or in terror of the police, where you can be killed in your own backyard or reaching for your wallet. Your parents have to teach you certain behaviors because they’re in fear that if you run into the police, you might not come home and I’m aware of that, without being drafted by the Celtics, without being in the place I am now, that I would still be on that other side of America.

“I want to take a look at the term police brutality and offer another term as domestic terrorism because that’s what it was in the eyes of George Floyd and that what it was in the eyes of Trayvon Martin and that’s what it is in the eyes of a lot of people of color in minority communities on our own soil.”

Brown also discussed the mental health of NBA players as they are sequestered in Orlando, Florida as part of the NBA restart.

“Being here in this bubble, people might not speak on it, it’s a challenge to a lot of guys,” Brown said. “It’s like you have work all the time. A lot of time, a lot of guys when they’re (done) with basketball, they want to be able to leave and forget about basketball for a bit. It’s impossible here in the bubble.”

Brown added: “I definitely want to bring awareness to mental health, anxiety and forms of depression in times like this and places like this in the bubble. Our athletes struggle with that and don’t feel confident enough speaking openly about it. Being able to find ways to replace those tires. It’s conversations that need to be had. I know the bubble and they make images of pool tables and swimming pools and all this other stuff, but it’s tough being away from our family and being isolated from the rest of our society.”