Don’t expect 2nd Lt. Marshall Plumlee ever to kneel during the playing of the national anthem.
But the Los Angeles Clippers center and U.S. Army National Guard officer has vowed to protect — with his life, if necessary — the right of others to express themselves that way if they choose.
“Me, personally, I stand and put my hand over my heart, because that’s what I believe in,” said Plumlee, after the Clippers’ practice Thursday at the Stan Sheriff Center, in preparation for preseason games Sunday and Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors. “I can’t force you to believe in what I believe in. At the same time, it’s cool to see some of the NFL players come together and take a knee for what they believe in.”
The NFL protested in large numbers during anthems Sunday after the league and players traded strong opinions with the president on the issue last week, putting Plumlee in a somewhat similar position as that of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Alejandro Villanueva.
“I really look up to his service and he’s a helluva player and role model,” said Plumlee of Villanueva, a West Point graduate and Army Ranger who served in Afghanistan. “I respect anyone’s choice to peacefully protest, but at the same time have to respect Villanueva’s right (to stand during the anthem).”
Plumlee considers Gen. Robert B. Brown, commander of the United States Army Pacific, a mentor who influenced his decision to join the Army. Brown and Plumlee were coached by Mike Krzyzewski; Brown at West Point and Plumlee at Duke where he was on the 2015 national championship team.
Brown arranged a Pearl Harbor visit for the Clippers on Wednesday that included interaction with servicemen and women from various branches of the military.
“For our guys it was fantastic,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “Especially right now when you think of all the crap going on.
“(The military members) had all kinds of views,” Rivers said. “The great part about our country is there is no one view. I thought that was great last night just listening to all the guys talk about it. Even if they don’t agree with stuff, their job is to protect and serve and be a team and I thought that was an amazing message, very meaningful to our players. … That is the ultimate team.”
The players were still talking about the visit before Thursday’s practice, Plumlee said.
In the Army, he stands out as a rare 7-footer. In the NBA, he is one of the less than 25 percent of the players who are white.
“I just try to impact the team with my energy with my positive attitude,” said Plumlee, who joined the Clippers as a free agent after averaging 8.1 minutes in 21 games with the Knicks as a rookie last year. “I’ve never been one to force my political opinion. When guys have questions I’m free to answer them. They definitely have questions. We have a curious and smart group of guys here so it’s made for some good dinner-side discussions.
“There’s nothing wrong with having these friendly talks, sharing your opinions, finding out what’s important to different people. I think open and candid discussions are (important). We have to have them so they’re not so polarizing and we’re not jumping down each other’s throats.”
Rivers encourages such conversations — among his team, and beyond.
“(The NFL players protesting) feel like we can do better, as a country,” said Rivers, who is one of eight black head coaches in the 30-team NBA. “And I agree with it. We can, we should, and we have to. And we have to acknowledge it. … The fallacy, the wrong part of the argument, is when people are protesting, they’re protesting the military. I don’t even know who started that. That’s ridiculous, that’s not true. My dad was a cop, my dad was a military man, and my dad would probably be the first one to take a knee. And so it has nothing to do with protesting the military. It’s protesting the way the country is, and we want it to be a better country. We have that right. We all do. We should all want to.”
Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at Hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.
