Allan Houston applauds NBA’s ‘inclusive’ response to Donald Trump’s travel ban

WASHINGTON — During a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, New York Knicks assistant general manager and two-time NBA All-Star Allan Houston took a minute to riff about the NBA’s recent stance on President Donald Trump’s travel ban, which could potentially affect the league’s players.

“Look, I think the league has always been inclusive in terms of this being a global game,” Houston told SB Nation. “The game started as a tool to invite people in, to learn about themselves and health and wellness. It was an evangelical tool. That’s what this game is. I applaud the league in taking the stand that way.”

On Sunday, the NBA asked the state department how Trump’s proposed travel ban might affect their players. Lakers veteran Luol Deng and Milwaukee Bucks rookie Thon Maker, both with South Sudanese roots, could potentially be affected.

“We have reached out to the State Department and are in the process of gathering information to understand how this executive order would apply to players in our league, who are from one of the impacted countries,” NBA spokesperson Mike Bass said. “The NBA is a global league and we are proud to attract the very best players from around the world.”

Trump’s executive order restricts refugees from entering the country for 120 days and keeps immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries out of the U.S. for three months.

The order says the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security, at any point, can give the president names of any additional countries recommended for a similar block. It also bans Syrian refugees indefinitely.

In the last few days, Trump officials have walked back some of their mandate on green-card holders such as Maker and Deng, saying they’re allowed into the U.S. on a “case by case” basis. A federal judge decreed Saturday that detainees at airports nationwide are protected under the law and should be released.

Former president Barack Obama, plus dozens of Democrat and Republican congressmen, rejected Trump’s order and backed the national airport protests calling for change.

Houston joins a growing list of numerous NBA figures that have criticized the ban. Raptors’ star guard Kyle Lowry called it “bullshit” four times in a conversation with reporters. Nets’ forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who is Muslim, described it as inhumane.

Houston, who held a panel and gave Baltimore high school students a tour of the museum with education company EverFi, said he didn’t know the league’s next steps. But he knows the NBA has “always” taken a stand for what is right.

“Our players have done it, and the leaders in this league have done it,” he said. “It goes along with what the league’s stand has always been. Obviously, whenever we take a stand on these issues, it is what we should do.”