The first week of Premier League games in England, players’ last names across the backs of their jerseys were replaced with “Black Lives Matter.”
When the NBA restarts in Orlando, players will be able to do something similar to support social justice, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The NBA and NBPA are planning to allow players to replace the last name on their jerseys with statement on social justice, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2020
NBPA sent players initial details on the plan tonight, stating it is working with the league and Nike. NBA and the players union have been discussing various ways to allow players to express social justice issues in season restart. https://t.co/vw1RW2Z6Vj
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2020
It’s akin to what Angel McCoughtry of the WNBA is proposing the league does when it returns to the court in July. She posted this to her Instagram account last week.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBvd4qCnt1G/?igshid=1jeoa8jy0z0v3
The NBA has said it wants the restart to address issues of racial inequality and systemic racism, and this can be one part of that effort. A very visible part. Allowing the players to customize what is across the back of their jerseys makes it more personal and the statement will get seen.
The NBA needs to do things more concrete than this as well, but this is an excellent first step.
