How athletes built a voter-turnout machine for 2020 and beyond

As their playoff-pausing wildcat strike ended in August, NBA players returned to the court with a vow from team owners to offer their arenas and practice facilities as polling places.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris was admiring the concessions from home when some of his friends asked whether they packed the punch to match the moment. “Y’all did all that for that?” they asked.