As 2020 comes to a close, The Chronicle's sports department takes a look back at the biggest stories of the year in Duke athletics. Each day, we will review a major game, event or storyline that helped shape the course of the year for the Blue Devils. Check out the rest of the top 10 here.
Coming in at No. 8: Duke men’s basketball was one of many athletic programs nationwide to call attention to racial injustice this year, with Coach K releasing a powerful video statement in June and Nolan Smith organizing a protest in Krzyzewskiville once students returned to campus in August.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski first released a written statement June 1, a week following the police killing of George Floyd. Several weeks later, however, Krzyzewski followed up with an even more powerful message, a full video statement that opened with three words: Black Lives Matter.
Krzyzewski began his speech by saying that “Black Lives Matter” was not a political statement but a human rights statement, then addressing systemic racism and the consequences that it has unloaded onto the Black community. The former United States Army officer closed his speech with a cadet prayer from his time at West Point.
The Duke men’s basketball program continued to use its platform to spread awareness for racial injustice once students returned to campus, organizing a socially-distanced peaceful protest Aug. 27 in response to the Kenosha, Wis., police shooting of Jacob Blake.
Hundreds of passionate spectators gathered amidst the August heat and several speakers took the podium—including student-athletes, coaches and professors—to speak out on racial injustice and on some of their own personal experiences.
Senior Mike Buckmire was the first player to speak, holding up a powerful sign that read, “Am I next?” Buckmire drew on his personal experiences to describe the anger and fear that he felt while also acknowledging that words were not enough to convey his emotions or experiences.
Freshman Henry Coleman III was last to take the podium and emphasized the responsibility that the spectators held, calling for everyone to promote change within the community.
A common theme amongst all the speakers was the importance of voting and taking responsibility to create change. This message was encouraged by the tables of voting information and registration that were set up for spectators at the end of the protest.
Duke men’s basketball has worked to keep the messages and lessons learned from that protest alive, including adding the word “EQUALITY” on the back of their jerseys this season.
READ MORE on Duke men’s basketball’s fight against racial injustice:
'This is a movement': Duke men's basketball joins the battle for social justice
Coach K, McCallie release statements on Black Lives Matter
Nolan Smith organizes Black Lives Matter protest in K-Ville, Coach K addresses crowd
'Equality': Duke men's basketball unveils social justice message on jerseys
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