New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony has embraced a leadership role in the pursuit of social and political reform. Through both social media and a now famous speech at the 2016 ESPY Awards, Anthony has encouraged athletes to utilize their influence to facilitate progress.
Anthony and his Team USA teammates plan to do exactly that once camp breaks in Las Vegas.
Following the deaths of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling, Anthony took to Instagram to challenge athletes to speak out on social injustices. He referenced socially active athletes such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Muhammad Ali, and Jim Brown as men whose footsteps should be followed.