How NBA teams showed solidarity on day of Tyre Nichols video release

NBA teams across the country Friday stood alongside the Grizzlies, the people of Memphis and the family and friends of Tyre Nichols. 

On Friday, Memphis police released body camera footage and video from street cameras of the Jan. 7 police interaction that led to Nichols’ death. Five Memphis police officers have been fired and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault-acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct and one count of official oppression related to Nichols’ death.

The latest:Memphis releases footage in death of Tyre Nichols as protests begin. Here’s what the videos show.

Ahead of the footage release, a statement from the Memphis Grizzlies read, in part: “We are distraught to find ourselves dealing with a needless loss of life due to police brutality, and this time it was one of Memphis’ own. We’re thinking of the Nichols family and friends, and share the pain felt throughout the community.”

spoke before the team’s game in Minnesota on Friday.

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“Our city is coping right now with loss of one of our own in Tyre Nichols,” Jenkins said. “It’s devastating.”

“To the Nichols family, my teammates and I are and have been paying attention,” Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. tweeted. “We are with you. To Memphis, we are hurting, too. Peaceful protest, supporting the family, pushing for accountability are what’s needed in this moment.”

were not made available to speak with the media after the game, a Timberwolves win, but Jenkins described what it was like to coach hours after the footage was released.

“It’s hard, but our guys went out there and competed,” Jenkins said. “I think the word that stands out about our group and our city is together. We talk about that all the time. There’s way harder things going in the city versus what’s going on with our basketball right now.”

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