Warriors’ David West has protested anthem for years, report says

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Warriors stood, arms behind their backs, as the national anthem played before their preseason opener Saturday against Toronto. The silent protest — which has been going on for years — was about issues "a lot deeper" than the police brutality against African Americans that 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is protesting, West told ESPN's website the Undefeated. Because West's personal stance is much subtler than Kaepernick's decision to sit or take a knee during the national anthem, no one had noticed it until Saturday. West told the Undefeated that, while teammates with the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul had tried unsuccessfully to get him to stand in line with the rest of the group. A two-time NBA All-Star, West couldn't pinpoint exactly when he started standing 2 feet behind teammates during the national anthem. In an article posted Tuesday by the Undefeated, West drew a parallel between Kaepernick's protest and someone being drowned with "the environment around you, and the waves and current getting stronger," and once the person's head is above water, "you hear people in the boat complaining about you splashing."