When the NBA restart placed racial justice issues at the forefront of discussions for players, Set Free Richardson saw an opportunity. Richardson, the creative director for The Compound creative agency, partnered with the NBPA to lay the foundation for his newest initiative, “Play for Change.”
Social tensions were particularly high during the NBA restart negotiations as protests broke out nationwide in response to the killing of George Floyd by Minnesota police.
Players such as Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving expressed their desire for the cancellation of the season in pursuit of social change, while others viewed the continuation of the season as an opportunity to use the nationally televised platform to speak on the issues they found important.