After leading a conversation between community leaders and police officers in Los Angeles on Monday, New York Knicks forward (and Jordan Brand athlete) Carmelo Anthony spoke glowingly about Michael Jordan's statement about racial tension and violence in America.

The "about time" part sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's highly unlikely that Anthony meant it that way. He has been vocal recently about wanting athletes to speak up about social issues and violence in particular, first with an impassioned Instagram post and then with the ESPYs opening alongside LeBron James, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. He could not have hoped for a bigger name than Jordan.

Carmelo Anthony speaks at Team USA practice
Carmelo Anthony talks to the media. USATSI

Jordan's letter made an impact not just because of his stature, but because he has historically not been outspoken. It is extremely unusual for him to make his charitable work ($1 million donations to both the Institute for Community-Police Relations and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund) public or comment on current events, but he wrote to ESPN that he "can no longer stay silent."

"That's big," Anthony said of Jordan donating $2 million, via ESPN's Marc Spears. "Thats's M.J. That's Michael Jordan. As African-Americans, that's who we look up to. He's a great voice with a great platform. I'm just glad that he came out now and he used it at this time with everything going on."

The hope, then, is that other athletes will follow Jordan's lead. If he feels it's time to speak openly about these problems, then why should anybody else keep quiet.