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Fathers of NBA players discuss raising strong Black children

Tobias Harris #12 of the Philadelphia 76ers hugs his mother, Lisa Harris, and his father, Torrell Harris, watches after the game against the San Antonio Spurs at the Wells Fargo Center on November 22, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In advance of Father’s Day, theGrio spoke exclusively to three fathers of NBA players to discuss several topics, including what they have taught their children about racism, how they handle criticism of their children, advice for fathers raising Black children, and more.

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“Being African-American, you have to work twice as hard being that this world is not equal, so you have to be a perfectionist of whatever you do,” said Torrel Harris, father of Philadelphia 76ers player Tobias Harris, and his other children Terry, Tesia, Tori, Torrel Jr., and Tyler, and CEO of Unique Sports Management International, a boutique sports agency.

(Photo by Cameron Pollack/Getty Images)

“I spoke to Kelly recently, within the last week that the approach that he could take to all of (the racism) is to dig into history, pre-slavery, to get a fuller picture and to answer some of the things in his mind,” said Kelly Oubre, Sr., father of Kelly Oubre, Jr. of the Phoenix Suns, and president of BeastDevelopMental, a consulting service aimed at setting young athletes and their families up for success.

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

“Police brutality is nothing new, racism is nothing new, and sexism is nothing new,” said Danny Green, Sr., father of Los Angeles Lakers player Danny Green, Jr., Dante, Devonte, Rashad, and Summer, and an educator told theGrio.

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