Kenny Smith walked off of the set of TNT’s Inside the NBA in the middle of the live shot Wednesday night to demonstrate solidarity with the players protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
“Right now, my head is like ready to explode,” Smith said on-air in the silent studio, explaining his thinking as he headed into work. “As a Black man, as a former player, I think it’s best for me to support the players and just not be here tonight,” he added, removing his microphone and leaving the set mid-broadcast.
The NBA suspended all playoff games on Wednesday after the Milwaukee Bucks staged a walkout to protest the shooting, which occurred in Kenosha, Wisconsin earlier this week.
