Alan Griffin Addresses Social Injustice

Syracuse Basketball Transfer Alan Griffin discusses social injustice

"What more can we do?" said a resolute Alan Griffin on Friday afternoon in a Zoom press conference. Griffin, a transfer to Syracuse Basketball who was recently granted eligibility to play, made it clear from the beginning that he will not be discussing anything about himself or basketball. 

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"I want to use my platform and voice to speak about what's going on in today's world because you know, it's not right," Griffin said. "You see Jacob Blake, who was unarmed, and to see him get shot several times was very, very disturbing for the people of my color and should be disturbing for everybody because we're all human and at the end of the day you have one life." 

Griffin's frustrations grow past the shooting, he does not know what it will take to have real change come about.

"We've gone about it in nice ways, protesting," the small forward said. "How many more families do we need to see step up at the podium talk about the life they lost in their family? It's just very disturbing to see and needs to come to a stop."

An action plan Syracuse Basketball has executed is getting every player to register to vote. This is a small, but very crucial step.

"Everyone needs to vote," Griffin said, "Register to vote. Everyone needs to vote."

As for the team, Griffin said they have talked about making a change and want to use their platform to do that. Griffin also believes it's pivotal to use that stage at this moment. 

"We have (college athletes) had this conversation for a long time on how we are treated," Griffin said. "Right now, I feel like our voices are being heard a lot more because of what's going on in the world. We're just being heard."

The-six-foot-five transfer said the team has come closer amid everything going on and makes them stronger as a unit.

"We're a family so it definitely brought us closer," said Griffin, "to be able to talk about what's going on in the world and see it from different points of view."  

On the court, Syracuse Basketball is not yet holding official practices. Players are having small group sessions with assistant coaches and the strength and conditioning staff.