Take a spin through Garrett Temple’s Twitter timeline and you’ll immediately get a sense of what’s been on his mind these past few months. Since the NBA season was suspended in early March, he hasn’t tweeted much about basketball. Instead, he’s used the platform to highlight the efforts of frontline workers during the pandemic, and, most recently, speak about the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of police and the worldwide protests that have followed.
Temple is particularly prepared to talk about these issues. His grandfather, Collis Temple Sr., was rejected by a university because he was Black in the 1950s, and his dad, Collis Temple Jr., was the first Black basketball player at LSU. Now, Garrett has been taking up his family’s mantle—along with fulfilling his role as a vice president of the players union amid a complicated NBA restart in Orlando, studying for the LSAT, preparing for the arrival of a baby boy, and thinking about how he can turn his words into action and change. The Ringer caught up with Temple this week to discuss.
How have you dealt with not having basketball in your life for the last few months?
Luckily I got my fiancée, soon-to-be wife, here with me. I think it helps that I’ve got people around. We decided to stay in Brooklyn because she’s pregnant right now, and we like the doctor we’re using. I have a little space in the backyard to have a little [outside room], but in terms of passing the time, I actually just took it upon myself to start studying for LSAT. I’m doing LSAT prep right now. It was something that I had thought about doing whenever I finished [playing basketball]. I found out that the LSAT score can last for up to five years, so I figure toward the end of my career, I play another three, four years ... why not use this time wisely and start studying for the LSAT? It’s taking up a good amount of my time. It keeps me mentally on point. It challenges me. That’s what I’ve been doing. It was important to me to do something that kept me from only thinking about the fact that I wasn’t able to play basketball anymore.
Yeah, I saw that you were studying to take the LSAT, and your inspiration for taking it. I have also read about your grandfather, and your dad breaking the color barrier at LSU baseball. How have you taken in and reacted to the initial video of George Floyd’s death, and also the protests we’re seeing?
Yeah, the initial video disgusts me. It doesn’t surprise me, though, which is the worst part about everything, for the Black men in this world. I’m a guy that knows a decent amount of history about our country. It doesn’t surprise me, but it’s still disgusting and it angers me, upsets me. I think what is going on this time is maybe a little different than it was before. That’s great, in terms of more white people understanding, or trying to understand, what is going on in our country—trying to understand the plight of Black America. More people are asking, “What can we do?” More white people asking, “What can we do to help?” At times, the thought process is: “Why did it have to take this? This thing’s been going on for far too long. There have been situations with people on film getting killed, so why did it take so long?” But at the same time, we’re at the point now where I want to try to take advantage of the amount of eyes that are on this and the amount of people that understand that change needs to happen.
For you, is there a particular reason why it feels different?
It’s more than just Black people talking about it and feeling it. The people that may have not understood what white privilege meant before, now they’re admitting that they understand it and seeing and saying that they’re ashamed for not feeling this passion for as long as they’ve been alive. The amount of white people that I would say are allies, that really want to help create change and want to help fix the situation, is more now— at least the amount that has reached out to me—than it has been before. The fact that NASCAR has banned the [Confederate] flag, the fact that Roger Goodell said Black Lives Matter. These types of things, if you look from the outside in, somebody would say, “Why wouldn’t you say that? Why wouldn’t you say Black Lives Matter? Do they not matter?”
But the crazy thing is, that statement, “Black Lives Matter,” has been so controversial—which is the problem in this country. The problem that Black people have been trying to explain for so long. That simple statement, “Black Lives Matter,” it’s controversial. Why is that? Why does that need a rebuttal? The fact that these things are being done and being said makes me feel like things are a little different. Words is just words; it needs to be actions actually behind it, laws need to be changed. There needs to be reform in the police department … a lot of different things need to happen. But I think we have enough people on board that we may be able to make some change.
You said you want to take advantage of the situation—where do you see yourself affecting change? Or where do you see the NBA player fitting in to try and push this movement forward?
I think everybody is different. I think we definitely have voices. We have a league that allows us to speak those voices without consequence, as long as [what we do is] legal. We don’t have a league that doesn’t allow us to acknowledge and to fight for things that we believe in. And the governors of our teams are very adamant about social justice. I have gotten together with a few guys, and we started something called The Grey Challenge, which a lot of people have done online, to bring up different movies or books for people who are not Black to understand the history and understand the plight of Black America. My thing is, as a follower of Christ, I think hearts need to change. I think if you can change somebody’s heart, if you can change the way somebody views a situation or views a person, they can see things through a different lens and may be able to vote differently. They may be able to understand where money goes, why money needs to go to this area instead of that area. At this point, I’m trying to change hearts. ... I’ll encourage people to vote, but a vote cannot change the woman in Central Park trying to weaponize that man’s skin color, when she called the police on the guy. People’s hearts need to change, as well. That’s what I hope The Grey Challenge can try to do.
I think the discussion needs to happen. That’s the reason for The Grey Challenge. That’s the thing, a lot of white people that I talk to always say it’s uncomfortable to talk about. … They don’t want to offend any of their Black friends, so they don’t bring it up. But I try to explain to them that not bringing it up or not talking about it makes us, makes the Black community, feel as if it doesn’t matter to you. There’s no such thing as a bad question. No such thing as a dumb question. The education piece is very important, in my opinion, and conversations need to be had.
A number of NBA players have gone out to protests and been vocal about the issues behind them. Have you been to any of the protests, and how have you felt seeing other guys, especially the younger ones, out there?
Yeah, so I haven’t been out to any protests. With my wife being pregnant, I’m not going to put myself in a position to bring something back with the pandemic still out there. I totally agree with protesting. I think that it needs to happen to bring attention, to bring light. And I don’t condone any illegal activity, but I totally understand the frustration and the anger that the people in our community have. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Riot is the language of the unheard.”
I commend my young guys—Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, Kyle [Kuzma]—a bunch of guys have been protesting, and I appreciate them doing that. I think it’s needed. Like I said, we need to make sure we take this opportunity and try to really create change that hasn’t happened in 400 years. My little sister, who’s 17 years old, organized a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 3,000, 4,000 people. It’s a double-edged sword. The fact that she had to do that at this age, instead of worrying about what college she’s going to, like any normal white American, that’s a problem. But also, the fact that she did it makes me very proud. This is definitely something that I love to see.
I’m curious, what do conversations within your family look like right now? Is there a bit of frustration in feeling like we’re still at this point where not much has changed?
Yeah, frustration. Not because nothing has changed, but ... I talked with my dad about stuff. He’s very wise, 68 years old, 67 years old now, and understands that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Nothing is going to change in one day. Nothing’s going to change in one year. But he is proud of what I stand for and what my brothers and my little sister stand for. He believes that change needs to happen. But the conversations we have are mostly about what’s going on, and if you allow these types of things to frustrate you too much, then as a Black man, you will live life in constant frustration. That’s just the way it is. We definitely understand, we definitely acknowledge it, try to find ways to fix it, but at the same time we have to figure out ways to try to still live our lives, enjoy our life, and educate people rather than worry about things that we can’t control. Like I said, if you can help effect change in your circle, a little outside of your circle, then that’s good. That’s what you worry about. But again, it’s going to take time.
With all of this hanging over the country right now, has it been difficult to think about basketball coming back? I’m sure you, as a member of the players union, have had to do plenty of work. How have you been able to balance this situation?
It’s a lot. It is a lot. I won’t say that it’s not. … And then again, I’m studying for the LSAT, and then the most important thing, I’m about to get married and about to have a child. So we got a lot of things going on at one time.
I think at the end of the day, a lot of guys will say basketball is a safe haven. It’s a chance for us to take our mind off of stuff. I just finished working out. Those two, three hours I was working out, it allows me to focus on that, something I love, and take my mind off of it. I use it as a getaway. The competition is what we love, so I can’t wait to go and compete.
What’s been the process like of figuring out the best, safest way to return to play?
It’s been tough. There’s been a lot of discussion. Basically, we had a competition committee, a few guys, and they discussed certain situations and scenarios. Most of the players want to play, most of the teams’ leadership, governors want to play. There’s a lot of money left on the table if we don’t play. The end goal is to try to figure out a way to play and, obviously, stay safe. There’s some sacrifices that are going to have to be made, but at the end of the day, you got a lot worse things that you could be doing for two and a half, three months, than being in a bubble, playing basketball for a few hours, staying in a four- or five-star hotel. You’ll be away from your family, but … in these circumstances, things have changed. This is something that we agreed to doing, we voted to do. It is our job.
You mentioned you’re about to get married, you’re about to have a kid. How do you factor that into going to Orlando for possibly a few months?
The situation is not ideal. I thought I would be having my baby boy during the offseason, but that’s not the case. But again, you have to think selflessly. The amount of money that would be lost if I don’t go, that’s something that I, that my son, my family could really use. … It’s a job. I signed a contract, and I’m going to uphold it. The team I have, the organization I’m a part of, is very supportive. I believe that when that time does come, if I’m not back home, they’ll help me out any way they can to get me back home in time to make sure I see him.
The last few days, there’s been discussion that some players are questioning the bubble, or saying it’s not worth it, especially for the teams that have no shot at a title. Was there thought given to that, to there being too little incentive for some teams and players?
I think that’s the reason why you take 22 teams instead of all 30. I think that’s a reason why there were eight [regular-season] games put in place and the reason why there was a play-in game put in place. ... Again, this is a situation that has never happened before, and it’s all different. It’s different for everybody, but personally, I enjoy playing basketball. I think we, as NBA players, have a chance to create generational growth, and as much as I understand the health risk, I believe that it will be a very safe environment, as long as people follow the rules. It’s a situation that I’m comfortable with. It’s not ideal, obviously, but it’s a situation that I’m comfortable with and that’s why I voted on my team for us to go.
I’m sure a lot of people are going to be watching. Has there been thought or talk from players about using the moment to send a public message?
I think, honestly, since we’re going to be there together for a month before we actually start playing, that’s the best time to discuss if we want to do something together. Having about 350 guys there being able to discuss some things will definitely help, because we may be able to think a few things through together. But there hasn’t been any discussion, on our end, in terms of such activism, because personally, when you do things, when you take a stance on things, you do that to bring attention. Then, after that, you have to actually do something to cause change. Something has to happen for things to change. Laws have to change, people have to change. So whatever we do, it needs to be something that can cause tangible change in our community, in our game, in our country.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.