Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics Make Statement With #StephonClark T-Shirts

NBA Players Unify In Support Of Unarmed Sacramento Man Shot 20 Times By Police

Sacramento Kings players JaKarr Sampson, left, and Buddy Hield wore t-shirts during warmups in support of Stephon Clark. The Boston Celtics players also showed their support by donning the shirts at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento, Calif. Publicity Agents photo art by T. Ray Harvey. March. 25, 2018.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Sacramento, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics players used their NBA platform to show their support of Stephon Clark, the 22-year-old father of two children, who was unarmed and shot 20 times one week ago in the backyard of his grandmother’s house in South Sacramento.

Right before tip-off of the game played at Golden 1 Center on Sunday, players from both teams donned black t-shirts with “Accountability, We Are One” written on the front and “#StephonClark” lettering on the backside.

Some of the players, Kings and Celtics, appeared in a Public Service Announcement, PSA, to address the issue that was shown on the big screen at center court during the first quarter of the game.

“Sacramento did nice tribute video when we got together (March 24),” said Bostons point guard Terry Rozier. “It’s a tragedy of what’s going on. We’re just trying to voice our opinions and try to help out as much as we can with the whole thing.”

Terry Rozier footage by Publicity Agents' OpticalVision

It was the first game at G1C since March 22 when protesters for Stephon Clark shut down the facility, preventing spectators entrance for the Kings and Atlanta Hawks game. The NBA made the decision to let the game on as scheduled despite the unrest.

"It was us and the Boston Celtics," said Kings player Garrett Temple of the PSA collaboration. "Those guys offered to do that, offered to be in the PSA, offered to wear the T-shirts, and support however they could. That just shows the type of league we have and the direction it's going."

Only 24,000 people saw the game oppose to 15,000 empty seats available to ticket holders waiting outside on March 22. For the Celtics game, the Sacramento Police Department, obviously a couple days late, prepared security strategies for this game.

Sunday’s game featured a barricade that was set up at the entrance of David J. Stern Way where officers were standing on duty. In an area that is normally a free space to roam, only ticket holders were allowed to enter in order to access the front of G1C.

The outside of G1C and all the activities inside went on peacefully. The attendance for the game was a sellout at 17,583.

PUBLIC INFORMATION:

| Boston Celtics point guard Terry Rozier made (8 of 12) shots behind the arc against the Kings. It was the most-made shots behind the 3-point line by a Celtic player this season. He was one made 3-point shot shy of the Celtics’ record for the most 3-point shots made in a game. Isaiah Thomas made nine treys once and Antoine Walker made nine twice in a Celtic uniform.

| Celtics (50-23) have registered 50 or more victories in back-to-back seasons. | Boston made 40 of 72 shots from the field at 55.6 percent and knocked down 12 of 22 3-point shots against the Kings.

“Point guards have been hurting us lately,” said Kings coach Dave Joerger. “We’ve got to do a better job of being reading to play and taking on the challenge no matter who that is. Rozier was very comfortable.”

|The Celtics won the game 104-93. Terry Rozier had a game-high 33 points in the victory for the Celtics. Boston’s starters shot 72 percent from the floor.

| Sacramento Kings (24-50) have recorded at least 50 losses in consecutive seasons. Buddy Hield led the teams with 21 points on 8 of 16 shooting from the field. Hield also made 3 of 7 shots from behind the 3-point line. He has scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games.

| Frank Mason had 21 points, six rebounds, and the steals in the loss to the Boston Celtics.

By T. Ray Harvey | PA Public Information Officer and Photographic Artist

Twitter: Tony Ray Harvey @PublicityAgents

Email: infopublicityagents@gmail.com

T. Ray (Antonio) Harvey is a Public Information Officer and Photographic Artist for Publicity Agents. Harvey is also the author of The HOMICIDAL HANDYMAN OF OAK PARK: MORRIS SOLOMON JR.