The sports world is responding with a mixture of grief and indignation following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, by federal agents. The incident has prompted a wave of advocacy from professional athletes, led by NBA standouts Tyrese Haliburton and Isaiah Thomas, who are using their platforms to challenge the official narrative of the encounter and call for justice for the frontline worker.

Haliburton was direct in his assessment of the tragedy, stating on social media that "Alex Pretti was murdered." His vocal stance reflects a broader sentiment among players following the second fatal shooting by federal agents in Minnesota this month. Thomas echoed these feelings, delivering a sharp critique of the use of lethal force. Thomas highlighted the disparity in numbers at the scene, noting that despite agents outnumbering Pretti, they "decided to KILL him like it was a video game."

Haliburton and Thomas’ statements reflect a long history of Black athletes, especially in the NBA, speaking out in times of social upheaval. NBA stars like Derrick Rose and LeBron James were among the first in the sports world to wear Black Lives Matter t-shirts in pregame warmups following the police killings of Tamir Rice and Michael Brown in 2014. When James was criticized by conservatives, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver responded by reaffirming players’ right to protest.

The impact of the Pretti shooting was felt in the league’s schedule as well. After the NBA postponed the Warriors-Timberwolves game this weekend after a man was shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell spoke out about the situation. Mitchell expressed his frustration with the frequency of such events, stating, "It's violence, senseless violence...it's become the norm..that shouldn't be...it's not right."

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle also shared how the turmoil in Minneapolis has affected him personally as a father and a member of the community.

“You see things like that and obviously, it’s tough, it’s hard to stomach things like that… regardless of whatever’s going on, when somebody lose their life, you never want to see that,” Randle said. From the minute I’ve been here, Minneapolis has been great for me, fans and community have been really behind me. Everybody, neighbors, the community I live in, the school my son goes to, just everything, it’s been nothing but a joy since I been here so... it’s tough.”