Comment: The next Colin Cabernick? Celtics' Jaylan Brown and tennis star Naomi Osaka are the best contenders.

The man who took part in one of the greatest civil rights struggles of the 20th century is asked a simple question: What is it to create the next generation of sports enthusiasts?

“It takes toughness and conscience,” said Tommy Smith, who raised a black fist with John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics, making it one of the best moments in the American sport. “A lot of athletes today understand that and I know what it is.”

“They have models to choose from,” he told the United States today. “One of them is Colin Kabernick. “

Kabernick’s story is well documented, but beyond the evolution of Kabernick’s transformational opposition to continue this movement after the assassination of George Floyd, the social justice movement in sports, explicit thinking arises. :

Who is the next Kabernick?

Boston Celtics player Jaylan Brown and tennis player Naomi Osaka have some better competitors.

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Unlike almost everything in American history, in a year of sporting activity, you have to be almost a time traveler, looking back and forth at the same time, admiring what enthusiasts like Cabernic have done in the world. In the past, when it was looking to take the place it left off. of.

Go to Smith’s words and how he spoke about harshness and conscience. Strong character, in the sense that it must withstand the motivation that players can receive, as Kabernick did from President Donald Trump and others. Awareness, when sports enthusiasts have a big moment to come, should be recognized as starting after Floyd’s death, and their influence and power to make a difference.

There are no others who can put themselves in Kabernic shoes – not to say no. Another Serena Williams tennis player and footballer, Megan Robino, is one of the many WNBA players who were at the forefront of the athletic social justice movement long before Kabernick. They all understand what they did when Smith stepped on that platform decades ago and raised his fist: Influence on athletes.

Almost every day there are names you don’t know about these fights, but do it quietly without headlines. Many athletes, such as Alesia Ocasio and Jasmine Jackson, who were athletes’ unlimited softball players, took part in voter registration campaigns before the November presidential election.

“Athletes are always the most powerful in terms of power,” Jackson told the United States today. “The difference now is that we use our voices in ways that people are not accustomed to. When people go to a sport or entertainment, they are going to escape. We like it because an athlete trusts me. But when we are on this land or this land, what happens in the country?” We can not ignore that. ”

Brown and Osaka have done all of this and more. Most of the time, they fully embraced what Kabernick meant, or rather, knelt down and put their own turn in their process.

Brown not only took part in the struggles, but saw his role throughout his life, not just as a temporary endeavor.

“I am not a politician. I’m not a civil rights leader or anything like that, “he said.” But I feel I have a platform and I hope it can strengthen lost voices. In the middle of things.

Brown recently explained how Face tracking technology Often misidentifies black and brown people. He tried to remove the name of a federal general from a high school for high school students in Georgia.

Osaka’s courage is similarly evident. In many ways, it is more difficult for him to take a political position in Osaka than for an NFL or WNPA player because those leagues are mostly black. These leagues have more than one support system from other players. Tennis is different.