Former NBA star-turned basketball broadcaster Kenny Smith walked off the set of NBA on TNT to support players protesting the police shooting of black American man Jacob Blake.
The broadcast was scheduled to provide the pre-game coverage of the Houston Rockets v Oklahoma City Thunder first-round playoff clash.
But Thursday's (NZ time) playoff games were postponed, after Milwaukee Bucks boycotted game five of their series with Orlando Magic to protest racial injustices.
The 'Black Lives Matter' movement has gained further traction, after Bake was shot several times by Wisconsin police officers, despite having his back to the officers and appearing to pose no physical threat.
Smith, a longtime TNT analyst and 10-year NBA veteran, spoke as the show took the air and explained his reasoning, before leaving the set.
"I think the biggest thing now - as a black man and a former player - I think it’s best for me to not be here tonight," Smith said.
"I respect that," host Ernie Johnson responded.
Smith then took off his microphone, and left his chair between Johnson and fellow analyst Charles Barkley.
Johnson, Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal sat in silence for a moment, before resuming their panel discussion on the postponement of Thursday's games.
Smith won two NBA championships with Houston Rockets in the 1990s, before retiring in 1997 and joining Turner Sports as part of their NBA coverage.
Former NBA player and current TNT analyst Chris Webber also spoke on air about the players' protest.
"I keep hearing the question 'What's next? What's next?'," Webber said. "We have to figure out what's next.
"I'm very proud of the players, I don't know the next steps. I don't really care what the next steps are, because the first steps are to garner attention and they have everybody's attention around the world right now.
"Their leadership and others will get together and decide the next steps, so we know it won't end tomorrow. We know that there's been a million marches and nothing will change tomorrow."
