Former NBA player Stephen Jackson, still in mourning over the death of his friend George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, said in an interview that Brooklyn News point guard Kyrie Irving has been particularly passionate about the incident and that has driven his stance on NBA players sitting out rather than playing out the remainder of the season at Disneyworld in Orlando, Fla.

NBC Sports reports he then took up a position in which he feels players should be focused on social justice rather than playing, Jackson says.

Irving and L.A. Lakers guard Avery Bradley reportedly led a group of players in a call last Friday (June 12) that questioned returning to the court.

The group was said to want certain concerns addressed including investment of league resources in social justice reforms, but also the safety of players amid the coronavirus pandemic, which had postponed the season earlier this year.

Jackson, who played 14 seasons in the NBA for various teams, has publicly said that now is not the time for the league to resume its season.