Well, here we are again, at the crossroads of sports and human tragedy.

Never before has a juxtaposition of two incidents painted a clearer picture of why black people in this country are angry, sad, hopeless and tired.

Jacob Blake, a black man, was shot in the back seven times by a white police officer. We know this because the video has been shared and watched millions of times.

Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old white man, allegedly murdered two people and injured another. Immediately following those heinous acts, he was approached by police officers who then drove on by. We know this because the video has been shared and watched millions of times.

The Milwaukee Bucks, followed subsequently by five other NBA teams, decided that they weren't going to play last night.

What does this accomplish, exactly? I don't know. It would be intellectually dishonest for me to tell you that I've got all the answers. I don't.

I'm tired of reading the educated guesses of people on the internet. Quit parsing the "what" and start asking yourself "why?"

Why did the NBA players do it? Because they've tried everything else. On Wednesday, Doc Rivers was emotional when discussing the shooting of Jacob Blake.

LeBron James has frequently lent his voice to discussions about police brutality and social inequality.

Likewise for Spurs coach Greg Popovich.

In the Orlando bubble, players have statements written on the back of their jerseys. The Black Lives Matter decal is plastered all over the court and on backdrops in the arena. Players routinely discuss social justice issues in their pre and postgame media engagements.

It hasn't been enough.

I imagine that LeBron James, the world's most famous athlete, doesn't feel powerless too often. After another black man was shot in the street, I think he's got to ask himself, "what the frig can we do now?"

SO, the Milwaukee Bucks decided they were going to take a stand. Where does it go from here? I'm not sure that they even know the answer to that.

Why did they do it? Because they feel like they've tried everything else.

Adam Crowley

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