Paul George narrates Clippers' powerful 'While We Were Away' message on racism

Paul George might just be the new voice of NBA franchise Los Angeles Clippers. Earlier this year, Paul George narrated Clippers' emotional tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. On Monday, Paul George narrated the new Clippers video message, 'While We Were Away', that highlighted the two major issues the United States has been facing in recent months.

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Paul George on racism, coronavirus pandemic and the situation over the past three months

The NBA has been suspended since March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic. With over 6.9 million cases globally, COVID-19 has been the primary cause of concern over the past few months. However, recent weeks in the US saw another chaotic situation emerge as the death of George Floyd sparked protests and riots in the country. With the United States dealing with a pandemic and racism, the Clippers released a new video which highlighted the issues and concluded with a message - how NBA/sports can reunite the nation.

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Paul George narrated the video in a melancholic tone where he began addressing the NBA suspension, the lockdown of the courts, and the impact of coronavirus on the population. Paul George delved deeper into the loss of jobs, loss of lives and the constant changes due to the pandemic.

The former OKC Thunder star then touched upon the recent situation in the country where people were protesting in numbers against racial injustice and police brutality. “George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, murdered,” Paul George said in the Clippers video. “The cause of death - another more familiar virus. Centuries-old. The names and dates change. The national cycle of racial injustice and police brutality do not.”

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Paul George then acknowledged that the return of basketball will not bring people back from the dead, nor will it keep them safe from the pandemic. However, he said basketball can prove to be a unified front to bring social awareness or fight against social injustice in the country. The inspiring video concluded with a message of hope - there is light at the end of the tunnel. Boxing legend Mike Tyson and Clippers stars like Kawhi Leonard, Shaun Livingston and others feature with a short message for the fans as the camera rolls onto a boy wearing the Clippers jersey with the words "Win the wait” written on it.  

NBA return

The NBA return is slated for July 31 with a revamped format for the regular season. The 2019-20 season will restart with 22 teams playing in the regular season with eight games per team. The top 22 sides with the best win-loss record this season will head to Disney World for the final part of the season. The Clippers hold the second spot in the Western Conference standings with a 44-20 (win-loss) record behind their rivals, LA Lakers. 

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