Obama praises sports stars who "take a stand" for racial justice

Former President Obama praised NBA and WNBA teams and players Sunday who "take a stand for racial justice and encourage civic participation," as he congratulated the Los Angeles Lakers and Seattle Storm on their championship wins.

The big picture: The Lakers clinched the NBA title Sunday and the Storm defeated the Las Vegas Aces last Tuesday to win the WNBA Championships. Sports stars have used their platforms this season to support social justice, civic engagement and voting rights. Obama praised Lakers star LeBron James earlier this month for his More Than a Vote drive to increase the number of poll workers in Black electoral districts.