Kilmeade falsely suggests Phoenix Suns players were forced to be used “as billboards”

Written by Justin Berrier

Published

On the May 6 Fox & Friends, Brian Kilmeade falsely suggested that Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver forced his players to be used “as billboards” to protest the Arizona immigrant law. In fact, Sarver “left it up to the players,” and they “unanimously” decided to wear “Los Suns” jerseys during their May 5 game.

Kilmeade claims Sarver decided “to use his players as billboards”


Kilmeade: “Are you going to tell me every person on the Phoenix Suns believes they should be standing up” against the immigration law?" On the May 6 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade asked "[s]o if an owner decides to use his players as billboards, what can you do as a player? Are you going to tell me every person on the Phoenix Suns believes that they should be standing up for immigrants--the new laws passed throughout that state, Mark [Krikorkian, Center for Immigration Studies]? Is that fair?" After guest Michael Wildes pointed out that “It probably isn't in their contract, and I believe that any player has the right not to wear something if they conscientiously object,” Kilmeade claimed “there's no way a player is going to sit out a playoff game because of an Arizona immigration law. I don't see it happening.”

But Sarver's decision was made with “unanimous support” from his players


Arizona Republic: “Robert Sarver decided -- with unanimous support from his players” to wear the jerseys. According to the Arizona Republic, “Robert Sarver decided -- with unanimous support from his players -that the Suns would wear their 'Los Suns' jerseys for Game 2 tonight on Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday.” The Arizona Republic also reported that the decision “came with the blessing of the NBA and the league's players union.”

ESPN: Sarver “left it up to the players for the final decision...and all of them were for it.” On May 4, ESPN reported that:

Sarver came up with the “Los Suns” jersey idea but left it up to the players for the final decision, Suns guard Steve Nash said, and all of them were for it. “I think it's fantastic,” Nash said after Tuesday's practice. “I think the law is very misguided. I think it's, unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties. I think it's very important for us to stand up for things we believe in. As a team and as an organization, we have a lot of love and support for all of our fans. The league is very multicultural. We have players from all over the world, and our Latino community here is very strong and important to us.”

Steve Nash confirmed team unanimously agreed to wear the jerseys. In an ESPN interview, Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash said of the decision to wear the “Los Suns” jerseys: “Our owner asked of us-asked us if any of us had a problem wearing the jerseys, and nobody did. So, I think we're pretty like-minded on this issue. And you know this league is very multi-cultural. We have players from all over the world, myself, obviously being a foreigner. And many of my teammates, players on the other teams, our communities are very multi-cultural, so I think we have to, you know, obviously find a different way to combat the issues that we face in our society. And I think that this is the wrong way to go about it.”

Yahoo Sports: “Suns voted on the jerseys and unanimously decided to wear them.” Yahoo Sports reported that “The Suns voted on the jerseys and unanimously decided to wear them for Cinco De Mayo.” According to the article, “Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is on board, and the team even tried to get their 'Los Spurs' jerseys, though it was too late to do so. When asked for approval to wear the jerseys, the NBA 'was all for it,' said Suns general manager Steve Kerr. Furthermore, NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter issued a press release, denouncing the law.”