NBA News 2015: French Basketball Players Express Concern, Grief over Paris Attacks
The terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday left many NBA players from France concerned and distracted, with many of them thinking about the safety of their families and friends. Although it was basketball as usual for these professionals, one couldn't hide the fact that it was a pretty difficult thought to ponder while playing on the court.
One of those who played Friday night is New Orleans Pelicans backup center Alexis Ajinca. His family resides in Paris, the target of the simultaneous attacks that killed 126 people and injured more. His team lost that game against the Raptors, 100-81 and he didn't even know the status of his family during the game.
He told the Associated Press, "It's just a crazy world. You think you're safe, you're just walking down the street and the next thing you know, people start shooting."
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Charlotte Hornets' Nicolas Batum couldn't think of any reason why people would go out there and just take other people's lives. Talking to reporters, he admitted he was thinking about it the entire game. "I wanted to have a good game to show them in my way we're strong," he said. Incidentally, Batum shared the court with another Frenchman, Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls. In an ESPN interview, Noah said that he called his family before the game to know if they're all fine. "It is very sad what's going on in Paris. A lot of people died for no reason," he added.
Meanwhile, Indiana center Ian Mahinmi expressed his support for his countrymen via Twitter, handing out his condolences and thanking everyone. Mahinmi hails from Rouen, a city situated on the River Seine in the north of France. The former French national team player couldn't hide his concern and grief over the loss of lives. "It both saddens and sickens me that some have little or no regard for human life, not only in this circumstance but also in everyday life," the 29-year-old center said in a statement released by his team.
As a response to the attacks and in honoring the victims, NBA arenas took the initiative to have a moment of silence.
