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Back in 1959, Minneapolis Lakers star Elgin Baylor refused to play to protest racism

The decision by NBA players to strike and not play six playoff games on Wednesday and Thursday nights in protest over racial injustice shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone who follows the league.

I worked in the NBA as a general manager for the Minneapolis Lakers from 1947-57 and have followed the league for my entire career.

Many NBA players have been some of the most thoughtful and powerful members of the African-American community and they have taken hard stands for what is right going all the way back to the start of the league.