SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz say they hope protests following the death of George Floyd, and the conviction of Derek Chauvin, will continue to lead to change throughout the country.
In a statement issued after Tuesday's guilty verdicts, the Jazz said their "hearts are with the George Floyd family," before sharing a message of the work to be done.
"[George's] murder - among too many examples of senseless killings, systemic racism and injustice - has only heightened the urgency to peacefully and emphatically work towards meaningful change," the team wrote on its Twitter page.
"The work ahead of us remains clear, our resolve is strong, and our actions must be stronger."
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) April 20, 2021
Jazz All-Star Donovan Mitchell shared a simple tweet following the verdict, saying "God is good all the time..."
God is good all the time.....✊🏾🙏🏾
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) April 20, 2021
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) April 20, 2021
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association issued a joint statement echoing the sentiments of the Jazz.
"George Floyd's murder was a flash point for how we look at race and justice in our country, and we are pleased that justice appears to have been served," the statement read. "But we also recognize that there is much work to be done and the National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Players Association, together with our newly-formed Social Justice Coalition, will redouble our efforts to advocate for meaningful change in the areas of criminal justice and policing."
In the days leading up to the verdict, the league had told teams to be prepared to postpone games should protests and riots occur.
