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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – While his Miami Heat teammates have kneeled during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” to bring attention to police brutality, social injustice and racism in America, Meyers Leonard has been standing with his hand on his heart during the national anthem.

Leonard originally explained his stance – his brother and other close friends are military members – when the Heat returned to action on Aug. 1, but with Miami playing in the 2020 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, a new audience has taken to social media to criticize him for standing.

Leonard, who has consistently stated that he is wholeheartedly down to fight against the oppression of African Americans, reflects on his experience in the NBA bubble standing for the national anthem and learning from his African American teammates.

You can be both.I can love and have appreciation for the military while also feeling pain in my heart for what’s going on in America, particularly to the African American community.

I 100% know that my teammates aren’t kneeling to disrespect the flag or the military. They have their reasons for protest and equality, and I respect that and honor that. At the same time, I have my reasons to stand and they respect me for that, too. They have embraced me, in fact. I’m so damn thankful that they have, because they know I’m pure in the heart and in the fight with them as well.

Meyers Leonard (center) of the Miami Heat shoots the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Oct. 2 at AdventHealth Arena in Orlando, Florida.

NATHANIEL S. BUTLER/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES

After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I was shocked to see that my name was trending on Twitter. Some of the things that I heard after Game 1 were very hurtful. People calling me a racist and countless other things. It’s unfortunate because I want everyone to like me. I know the reality is, that’s not going to happen.

But when my character comes into question, when I’ve clearly done my best to show in many different ways, what I stand for, who I am, whether you want to believe me or not, it hurts. There are some people behind me who have said, ‘Look, leave this dude alone.’ And I’m very thankful for that. At the end of the day, I can’t make everyone happy or believe me, but I’m going to do my damn best.

And I’ve done my best to say, ‘Look, if I can do anything to help people understand, it is to understand that you can be both.’

There’s a different emotion that comes with having a deep connection to the military. My brother joined the Marine Corps because of 9/11 and was on the front line. He’s told me stories that I needed to hear that I didn’t necessarily want to hear.

If I got a random phone call in the middle of class in college, guess what, I’m walking out of that room because it might be my brother and it could be the last god damn time I talk to him. I put my hand over my heart and stand for that national anthem because of the real and raw emotion I feel towards that. There are times when I hear that anthem, I have to put my head down, because I think vividly of my brother and other people who have fought for this country.

I’ve sat and talked with SEAL Team 6 operators fighting the worst of the worst. I’m talking about the baddest motherf—–s on the planet. One in particular wanted to take his own life. That’s tragic to me. That’s real to me. That hurts me. These people are my close friends. There is a different emotion that comes with that. And that’s real experiences sitting and speaking with them about some of the things that these people have been through.

I imagine different, but the same type of emotion that comes out of African American people when something happens like with George Floyd. And they’re thinking, ‘Wait, this has been going on too long. How the hell do you want us to react? Look at the systemic issues. How do you want us to react?’

I try to sympathize.

I feel that pain, too.

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