Matt Kemp changed his at-bat music to Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” Sunday as a response to being mentioned in association with the Donald Sterling saga.
An extended version of the Donald Sterling audio recording was published by Deadspin on Sunday, and that’s when we learned that a photo of Sterling’s girlfriend V. Stiviano with Kemp came up in the same conversation that involved Magic Johnson.
Sterling apparently wanted Stiviano to remove photos from her Instagram account of her with black people. The photo that caused the problem was one of her with Magic, but in the extended clip, we learn that she also removed a picture of her with Kemp.
Kemp was asked by the media prior to Sunday’s Dodgers-Rockies game about his name coming up as part of the story.
“I was shocked,” Kemp said via ESPN LA. “I was really shocked. I haven’t been to a basketball game since maybe last year, and I did take my mom. I met the young lady, I’ve known her through mutual people. We all sat in the same [area].
“I remember taking the picture, but I didn’t think it would ever come to this. This is crazy.”
Kemp is friends with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and said he feels badly they have to play for Sterling.
“Racism is kinda old. For real,” said Kemp. “Honestly, I just feel sorry for him that he feels that way about African-American people.
“There’s just no room for racism in any of our games. This is bigger than the game. I’m just shocked that people still feel that way toward Latins, blacks, white people. We are all the same. We all bleed the same.”
As Kemp was discussing the matter with reporters, a teammate put on the Michael Jackson song. Kemp decided to use it for his at-bat music during the game.
