The Trump administration is finding out that the majority of Americans are outraged by its murderous occupation of Minnesota.
Now that pro athletes and teams are calling out that behavior too, you can probably expect a hearty round of “stick to sports” from conservatives. However, the sheer number of statements is tough to ignore—and it’s not just limited to Minnesota athletes.
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The day after the killing of Alex Pretti at the hands of federal agents, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) released a statement that did not mince words, saying it was time to “stand in solidarity with the people in Minnesota protesting and risking their lives to demand justice.” The NBPA also reminded everyone that sports are global: “The fraternity of NBA players, like the United States itself, is a community enriched by its global citizens, and we refuse to let the flames of division threaten the civil liberties that are meant to protect us all.”
That sentiment was echoed by retired professional baseball player Kole Calhoun, who posted a lengthy Instagram story about how his life in baseball was always multicultural:
I spent most of my adult life in a team game. A team comprised of different nationalities, different backgrounds. Some players were privileged, many were not. Some of my best friends from those times were people whose first language is not English. Those players did not look like me. But I watched as those players built a better life for themselves and passed that better life down to their family by sending earnings to them, buying them houses in their native countries, bringing them to America so they could be together again.
And in case it wasn’t clear, Calhoun called the administration’s actions “blatantly racist,” and that while he has stayed away from speaking about politics in the past, “silence is a privilege and silence is complicit.”
Longtime Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle and Hall of Famer John Randle explained that he doesn’t use his X account for politics because “I wanted to have a fun spot for Vikings fans, like me,” and made no bones about his views: “I am NOT okay with reckless violence condoned by the Trump Aministration [sic]. I am NOT okay with people being murdered in own [sic] own communities. I am NOT okay with people being taken from their homes and families being ripped apart. I am NOT okay with people being denied due process.”
And it isn’t just retired athletes calling out the administration.
There is no shortage of current big-name players speaking out. Karl Anthony-Towns, who played nine seasons for the Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the New York Knicks in 2024, called for “accountability, transparency, and protections for all people.” His teammate, Guerschon Yabusele, went further, saying that what was happening in Minnesota is “beyond comprehension. We’re talking about murders here.” On Tuesday, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama declared, “Every day I wake up and see the news, and I’m horrified. It’s crazy that some people make it seem like it’s acceptable, like the murder of civilians is acceptable.”
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider went the more intellectual and historical route, posting a picture of a 1770 engraving from Paul Revere titled “The Boston Massacre Perpetrated in King Street.”
But the bluntest statement so far has come from Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton posting on X simply, “Alex Pretti was murdered.”
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a game against the Golden State Warriors scheduled for Saturday, the day Pretti was killed, but postponed it to the following day. Both Chris Finch, the Timberwolves’ head coach, and Steve Kerr, coach of the Warriors, made statements. Finch said that the organization was “heartbroken for what we are having to witness” and extended prayers and concern for “everyone involved in such an unconscionable situation in a community that we really love.” Kerr called on people to remember “the values that come with the Constitution, that come with citizenship, the values of looking after each other, are so important right now, just because of the extremism that we’ve [sic]can feel from all over the place.”
In Minnesota, moments of silence have also been moments of catharsis. The day after Pretti’s murder, the Timberwolves had a moment of silence before their game against the Warriors. That turned out to be about 10 seconds of silence before someone yelled, “Fuck ICE,” and the crowd began to cheer.
The Minnesota Frost, the reigning champions of the Professional Women’s Hockey League, did a moment of silence before their game against the New York Sirens, with fans breaking the silence to shout “Go home ICE” and “Fuck ICE.”
Unrivaled, the women’s three-on-three basketball league, issued a statement saying that “Humanity relies on the ability for everyone to be treated with dignity and respect. No one should fear losing their life while exercising their fundamental constitutional rights, and violence and hate have no place in our communities.” Later, during player introductions, Breanna Stewart, one of the co-founders of the league and one of the WNBA’s greatest players, held up an Abolish ICE sign during player introductions.
Though it’s the WNBA off-season, several Minnesota Lynx players made statements and were clearly backed by their coaches and the team. Head coach Cheryl Reeve attended the rally at the Target Center that followed thousands of Minnesotans taking to the streets on a blistering cold day. Assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson was also there, along with the president of business operations for the Lynx and the team’s diversity, equity, and inclusion senior manager.
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It’s notable that these statements don’t just reflect anger at ICE’s actions, but also a deep love for community and for people acting together with shared values. But perhaps no statement was as pointed, poignant, and devastating as the statement from the Timberwolves chaplain, Matt Moberg:
Peace isn’t what you ask for when the boot is already on someone’s neck. Peace is what the powerful ask for when they don’t want to be interrupted. Unity isn’t neutral. Unity that refuses to name violence is just loyalty to the ones holding the weapons.
People are increasingly unable to remain silent in the face of ICE’s brutality, and athletes are no exception. Expect more statements until ICE stops its siege.
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