Over the last several decades, former LA Lakers great Earvin “Magic” Johnson has become one of the most popular sports figures. The Hall of Famer has etched tremendous prominence for his work after his illustrious NBA career. With the continued increase in attention toward social injustice, Johnson admitted that he still gets nervous whenever he sees police.

Social justice issues prominent in the sports world

The last several months have seen an increased rise in attention toward social injustice in the United States.

That has come after the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, among others, due to mistreatment by law enforcement. That has seen many in the sports world use their platforms to help generate more substantial efforts.

Each of the country’s major sports leagues has increased its push toward bringing attention to social injustice. It has seen the NBA lead the charge by fully backing their players’ efforts to bring forth more social awareness and create change.

It has also led many other prominent figures in the sports world to use their elevated platforms to discuss the issues.

Magic Johnson expresses concern when getting pulled over by the police

The continued rise of the conversation around social injustice in the country has brought forth much discussion.

Among those prominent figures in the sports world using their voice is former Lakers great Earvin “Magic” Johnson. During a recent talk with California Democratic Representative Maxine Waters for the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, he admitted that he still gets nervous when he sees a police car. (H/T justthenews.com)

“When I see a police car, I still get nervous, and I have to, you know, do everything the right way to make sure, first, I don’t get pulled over, second, if I do get pulled over, my hands are on the steering wheel. I’m going to abide by the commands, and I’m going to try to do everything the right way. Any instructions that they give me, I’m going to make sure I comply with those instructions.”

The fact that one of the most popular sports figures of all-time still gets anxious when he sees the police speaks volumes. Johnson is an NBA icon that is one of the most recognizable figures across the globe. It lends to the bigger issues that continue to plague the country involving social injustice that many in the Black community deal with daily.

Johnson’s comments are common fears that many people have even at the sight of a police car, which emphasize the need for significant social change.

More push for changes ahead

Magic Johnson’s presence and voice in the discussion is quite impactful, given his prominence in the sports community.

Many other former and current athletes such as LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Chris Paul have aired the need for change. It’s an issue that impacts many people across the country, which that message has only further reverberated over the last several months.

It will see the various sports leagues in the United States take further action to help generate change. These associations have tremendous influence beyond their respective sports with their connections to other industries through sponsors.

The many ownership groups for the various teams also have strong ties to other businesses. It also includes political affiliations that could generate the necessary change. There are many ways that these efforts can increase, which will occur moving forward.