Former US First Lady Michelle Obama met with some players of the NBA and WNBA to discuss the importance of voting.
Mrs. Obama took time off her busy schedule to engage the players on matters bordering on voter participation.
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul described the session as very educative and inspiring.
According to him, it was the first time in his career that players of the NBA and WNBA have come together for such a call.
“The more we encourage each other to vote, not just every four years, but two years in your local elections, the more we do that, the more our voices will really be heard,” Paul said.
The 35-year-old is the president of the National Basketball Players Association and is also a partner of Mrs. Obama at “When We All Vote,” a non-profit and non-partisan organization that seeks to increase voter participation.
Paul believes the joint call with the former First Lady offers the chance for players to use their collective voices to spread the message.
“Coming down here, what we have an opportunity to do is use our collective voices, obviously to spread the messages, but we also get a chance to educate each other,” he said.
“Guys come to a meeting to discuss things, and two guys who never had a relationship figure out that they have a common interest in whatever it may be, whether it’s financial literacy, whether it’s police reform, whether it’s education, whether it’s HBCUs. Guys can start to build together.”
