LOS ANGELES — Reggie Bullock was overcome by emotion during Sunday’s game against the Clippers, when the NBA’s trash-talking specialist, Patrick Beverly, came up to him at Staples Center to offer his respect.
The Knicks swingman is in the early stages of a comeback from spinal fusion surgery — and from the murder of his sister Keiosha Moore, who was shot to death in Baltimore in late October. Another sister, Mia Henderson, who was transgender, was murdered in Baltimore in 2014.
“[Patrick] told me, ‘It was a pretty powerful story you got,’ ’’ Bullock said in the team hotel in Beverly Hills on Tuesday before facing the Lakers. “Even if he was trash-talking before on the sidelines. The players in the league respect what I got going on and the mission I’m on, trying to change things in different communities. I respect him for being able to come up to me in the midst of the game and say he respects my story.”
The meticulously dyed rainbow hair streaks found atop Bullock’s head are in remembrance of his slain sisters. He added the color when he made his season debut last week versus Portland at the Garden. His mother and several family members were there.
When he played in Detroit in 2017, Bullock rode atop the NBA’s rainbow-colored float in a New York City Pride March, one of the world’s largest pride parades.
“It’s a mark I do for my sisters,’’ Bullock said of his rainbow-colored hair. “Dedication to my sister this season. It’s something that is going to stick with me. It’s a mark for my family — something to go into games with. I’m feeling like they’re with me. I [want to be able] to do different things for them.”
Fighting for LGBT rights is at the top of his list to honor his sisters. He also has a few commemorative tattoos.
“I’m pretty involved in the LGBT community in Baltimore and all over the country,’’ Bullock said. “I feel like I do well at expressing this and a lot of people know the story.’’
Bullock left the Knicks and the steady neck rehab for three weeks after the latest tragedy. While away, he posted a heart-wrenching Instagram message about how he failed his sisters.
It read, in part: “I never felt so broken in my life. My 2 queens … S–t won’t ever be the same … I failed as a brother to protect you from the harm of these streets. I failed twice to be the true brothers’ keeper.’’
Bullock, who played alongside LeBron James with the Lakers last season, admits his former teammate is an inspiration to do more off the hardwood for causes.
“The way he worked, the way his approach to the game, the way he prepared was great,’’ Bullock said. “But he was a great guy. He’s a great person, too. I like a lot of the stuff he does off the court, too.
“It’s not just him as a basketball player, but stuff he does off the court.’’
That Bullock would be on schedule to make it back by January after the tragedy seemed suspect. Now he has played three games and looks sharper than anyone could have imagined. He’s averaging 9.7 points and shooting 48 percent — 45.5 from 3. He’s still got that rainbow jumper, too.
“You could see his basketball IQ coming out in different things,’’ interim coach Mike Miller said. “What he saw when he wasn’t playing. He’s really a sharp guy. That helps a lot. He jumps right in and he’s flowing. And he’s a good player. He’s healthy and feels comfortable. for a guy whose coming back from injury that doesn’t have an offseason, didn’t have training camp preseason games, to give him two, three weeks to get his legs under him, he’s been pretty productive in the first week.’’
And he’s starting to get the message out after being hesitant to talk about it before his season debut.
“It’s something that happened with my family and if it’s possible to make a change and bring awareness to it,’’ Bullock said. “I think I’ve gone a great job over the past couple of years and I’m getting a lot of respect from it. Organizations know.’’
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