Ahead of the NBA’s slate of games Friday night, coaches, players and NBPA shared thoughts and statements on death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was brutally beaten by five officers of the Memphis Police Department while handcuffed in early January. Recordings of the beating, which were captured by the officers’ body cameras as well as a street surveillance camera, were released to the public Friday night.
The incident followed a traffic stop in Memphis on Jan. 7, and Nichols, who had been hospitalized since the beating, died on Jan. 10 as a result of the injuries he sustained, officials said. The five officers, who are Black, were fired on Jan. 20 and charged with variety of crimes, including second-degree murder, on Jan. 26.
The NBPA released the following statement on Nichols’ death:
“Our players mourn the loss of Tyre Nichols and extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the Nichols family during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to the entire Memphis community as they are processing and dealing with this horrible tragedy, and we stand by the rightful arrest of all officers involved. Such aggressive policing and excessive force illustrate the continued need for accountability in the justice system. We will continue to monitor the investigation and legal proceedings in search of justice for Tyre and his family.”
The videos were released to the public shortly before the start of the Memphis Grizzlies-Minnesota Timberwolves game in Minneapolis, and Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins spoke on the incident before his team took the court.
“Our team understands that our city’s hurting, the Nichols and [his mother RowVaughn] Wells family’s hurting right now, the senseless loss of life for Tyre Nichols has really hit us hard,” Jenkins said. “It’s been tough being on the road, and not being home, I wish I could extend my arms through this camera right now to the family. They’re going through a lot. I watched the interview with the family today and hearing Mrs. Wells talk with so much strength, positivity and love was powerful….
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