Martin Luther King Jr. Day has always been a special time for me. I enjoy taking the time out of my day to give back in some way shape or form. Dr. King left an awesome legacy and one that needs to be remembered. From a basketball standpoint he paved the way for players of all races to come together and play this awesome sport. I appreciate all of the hard work and time Dr. King put in to ensure a world change. On this particular holiday in 2007, my dad surprised me and my sisters with some Washington Wizards vs Utah Jazz game tickets. The Wizards at this point were a top contender in the Eastern Conference in the NBA. The game was a wire to wire game and Gilbert Arenas was due for something special and I was very surprised that I got to witness such a great ending to a wonderful game. Before that however, the halftime show was dedicated to Dr. King and how players felt about him and their favorite memories of his life. For me, the I have a dream speech is one of my favorite speeches because it reminds me to never give up on my dreams or let anyone stop me from achieving those goals. He also reminded the world that all races and nations should continue to fight non-violently to help bring about peace and change. I often wonder how the world may be different if Dr. King was still alive today. Would he be disappointed with all that is going on since the Civil Rights Movement or would he still be working with the people. My ultimate guess is that overall Dr. King would have been still impacting lives such as the NBA players I got to see in this amazing game in DC. The 4th quarter came down to the final shot, tied at 111 with 6.5 seconds left on the clock, it was Wizards ball and Gilbert had the final play and shot. Clock is winding down….3, Gilbert gets set…..2, He steps back behind the 3 point line…1, Gilbert for the WIN……BANG!!!!…..Wizards win…. The entire arena in mayhem! and I was there to witness this special game. I honestly never really took into consideration at the time the major impact Dr.King would leave on myself. If he didn’t give up his life, something as small as being able to enjoy a NBA game buzzer beater wouldn’t have been so special or a memory. I always think back to this day as a fun one and reflective one as well. It’s the little reminders that can quickly bring you back to reality and remind you of how truly blessed and fortunate to enjoy the luxuries of life whether it’s a basketball game with friends or even just a regular school day we are able to live more freely without the discrimination’s this life brings. Dr. King sacrificed his own life so we didn’t have to experience the harsh reality he had to endure. Basketball helped me to fully understand that. Dr. King I Thank You!
