The Bucks players have shared a statement regarding their boycott of Game 5 following the shooting of Jacob Blake. Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Bucks share team statement following player boycott

Hours after the Milwaukee Bucks became the first professional sports franchise to boycott their game to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake, players emerged from the locker room to share a joint team statement:

Milwaukee players refused to take the court Wednesday afternoon for a scheduled Game 5 showdown versus the Orlando Magic. That game and two others were eventually postponed by the league, and additional cancellations could be announced late Wednesday night or Thursday.

Three WNBA evening games were also called off, as were no fewer than three MLB contests after athletes either voted or jointly elected to opt out of Wednesday's action. 

Blake, a Black man who was shot at least seven times by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, is reportedly paralyzed following the incident.

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