The NBA has approved a list of social justice messages that players will be allowed to wear on their jerseys when, or if, play resumes later this month.
According to Marc J. Spears of ESPN, the list includes:
The National Basketball Players Association and the NBA reached an agreement Friday on social justice messages that can be displayed above the number on the back of jerseys when the league resumes play July 30, a source told ESPN’s The Undefeated.
The list of the approved suggested social messages, per the source, for the back of the NBA jerseys: Black Lives Matter; Say Their Names; Vote; I Can’t Breathe; Justice; Peace; Equality; Freedom; Enough; Power to the People; Justice Now; Say Her Name; Sí Se Puede (Yes We Can); Liberation; See Us; Hear Us; Respect Us; Love Us; Listen; Listen to Us; Stand Up; Ally; Anti-Racist; I Am A Man; Speak Up; How Many More; Group Economics; Education Reform; and Mentor.
There had been some discussion of putting the names of victims of alleged police brutality on the uniforms, though those plans never materialized.
Conspicuously absent from the list of approved messages is “Free Hong Kong,” or any mention of the pro-democracy movement that stands against the NBA’s business partners in the Chinese Communist Party.
The NBA’s credibility as a proponent of social justice causes is seriously dubious given the league’s tolerance of former Clippers Owner Donald Sterling. Who the league allowed to remain in place for decades despite their knowledge of troubling racist remarks. Plus, most notably, the league’s ingoing business relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.
A relationship that was brought front-and-center last year after the league forced one of its top executives to apologize for defending the rights of the pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
The NBA plans to resume its season later this month, but concerns over spiking coronavirus numbers in Florida threaten to derail those plans.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themighytgwinn
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.