OAKLAND, California - Magsasagawa ang NBA ng ilang minutong katahimikan bilang pakikidalamhati sa namayapang si boxing legend Muhammad Ali bago ang Game Two ng NBA Finals sa pagitan ng Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers .
Kasama sa tribute ang isang maikling video o photo montage para sa 74-anyos na si Ali.
“When an icon like Muhammad Ali passes away, it’s very emotional,” sabi ni LeBron James ng Cavaliers. “It’s also gratifying to know that a guy, one man, would sacrifice so much in his individual life knowing that it would better the next generation of men and women after him.”
“Today I can go to China and all over the world and people know my name and know my face. I give all credit to Muhammad Ali because he was the first icon. He is the GOAT. He’s the greatest of all time and it has zero to do with his accomplishments inside the ring,” dagdag pa nito.
Sinabi naman ni Stephen Curry ng Warriors na hinangaan niya si Ali dahil sa paggamit nito ng kanyang katayuan at popularidad bilang isang atleta para ipahayag ang kanyang paniniwala.
“Ali was the example of how you use your platform and speak what you believe no matter what people will say,” wika ni Curry. ”And (I) look at him (with) a sense of confidence in that regard, for sure.”
Namatay si Ali kamakalawa dahil sa kumplikasyon sa Parkinson’s disease.