The Long Island Nets, the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets, will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during their game against the Grand Rapids Gold this Monday, Jan. 16 at Nassau Coliseum.
Prior to tip off at 1 p.m., Long Island native Queen Spann will perform both the national anthem and “Life, Every Voice & Sing.” During the game, players will wear special uniforms with a design inspired by the key values of Dr. King: freedom, equality, justice and love. These uniforms will be auctioned at a later date via The Players Trunk with proceeds going to the Eta Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., who will also perform a traditional step routine during halftime of Monday’s game.
Additionally, the Islip Town Branch NAACP will present the Legacy Trailblazer Award to Alton Byrd, Senior Vice President of Growth Properties at BSE Global, parent company of the LI Nets, in an on-court ceremony during the game. The Legacy Trailblazer Award is given annually to professionals who have contributed to bettering the lives of all people, especially people of color, on Long Island, and Byrd is being recognized for his quality contributions to the community.
“We must continue to honor and highlight the legacies of heroes who have paved the way for true equality,” said Byrd. “The Long Island Nets are excited to amplify Dr. King’s story through the game of basketball and our work in the community. I want to thank the Islip Town Branch NAACP for presenting me with the Legacy Trailblazer Award.”
Monday’s game is the culmination of a series of programming the LI Nets have participated in to recognize and honor Dr. King’s legacy. On Tuesday, Jan. 10, the Long Island Nets Kids Dance team visited the MLK Center of Long Beach where they taught a celebratory MLK dance to participants. In addition, LI Nets players David Duke Jr. and Noah Kirkwood along with LI Nets head coach, Ronnie Burrell, participated in a panel discussion with Copiague High School Varsity Basketball team on Friday, Jan. 13, with a focus on the importance of ongoing and continuing education as professional athletes.
Fans interested in attending the LI Nets’ MLK Day Game can purchase tickets online at longislandnets.com and Ticketmaster.com. Group tickets and fan experience packages are also available and can be purchased by calling (934) 948-2546 or by contacting info@longislandnets.com.
About the Long Island Nets
The Long Island Nets are the NBA G League affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. The team started NBA G League play during the 2016-17 season and presently plays its home game at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. The Nets have reached the postseason twice and won one Eastern Conference Championship, reaching the NBA G League Finals in 2019. For more information, please visit longislandnets.com and follow @longislandnets on Twitter and Instagram.
