Knicks guard Reggie Bullock is using his platform to advocate for transgender people.
This past year has been challenging for many people in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the heightened political tensions engulfing the country. For New York Knicks guard Reggie Bullock, it has been particularly tragic. In October, his sister was shot and killed in Baltimore, five years following the murder of his older sister in the same city.
After suffering terrible pain, the NBA star has used his platform to present a positive message and promote LGBTQ rights in loving memory of his sisters.
On Monday, Bullock talked about the process of learning to accept his transgender sister for who she was, and how it was at times difficult worrying about what people would think of her while he was a star basketball player in their hometown.
"“People respected me, obviously, and they respected my family and what I had going on,” Bullock said on the Tamron Hall Show. “But my sister didn’t always feel 100 percent comfortable around my basketball side that I was bringing into my life. It kinda became distant once I left Kinston. I think that’s one of the biggest things that made me want to stand up for her.”"
His sister’s death in 2014 was ruled a hate crime. Since losing her, Bullock has become a staunch advocate for LGBTQ equality. He has placed the responsibility upon himself to carry on the legacy of his sisters through the work he does in the community.
"“I’m not the LeBron of the NBA, but I’m the LeBron of the community,” Bullock said. “I just feel like anything I can do to be able to allow my sister’s name to continue to live on, I’m doing that for her.”"
Reggie Bullock signed with the Knicks in July 2019.
The Knicks signed Bullock last July in a deal that was later renegotiated when a team physical revealed a medical issue that required surgery to correct. The North Carolina native was treated for a cervical disc herniation.
Bullock missed the beginning of the 2019-20 season while rehabbing and mourning the loss of his late sister. He returned to the court in January and played 29 games for New York before the season was shutdown, averaging 8.1 points on 40.2% shooting.
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His 2020-21 option is not fully guaranteed, but the Knicks are expected to bring him back next season at a reasonable $4.2 million rate. With the new league calendar, New York has until October 16 or 17 to make a decision on his future.