NBA, players agree to 'Black Lives Matter,' other messages on jerseys

With the NBA another day closer to its July 30 reopening, a piece of its plan to battle racial injustice fell into place. Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

With the NBA another day closer to its July 30 reopening, a piece of its plan to battle racial injustice fell into place. Photo: Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

Published Jul 4, 2020

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LOS ANGELES - With the NBA another day closer to its July

30 reopening, a piece of its plan to battle racial injustice fell

into place.

The NBA and the players union agreed Friday on messages players can

wear instead of their names on the backs of their jerseys for the

first four days of the league's reboot.

Among the approved messages, which several people confirmed to the

Los Angeles Times: "Black Lives Matter," "I Can't Breathe," "Vote,"

"Justice," "Stand Up," "Listen," "Listen to Us," "Say Their Names,"

"Peace," "How Many More," "Education Reform," "Liberation,"

"Equality," "Freedom," "Enough," Si Se Puede," "Say Her Name,"

"Mentor," "I Am A Man," "Speak Up," "Ally," "Anti-Racist," "Justice

Now," "Power to the People," "See Us," "Hear Us," "Respect Us," "Love

Us," and "Group Economics."

After the first four days, players can keep the messages on their

jerseys with their names below their number. Players also may forgo

messaging altogether.

Former Memphis Grizzlies Coach Lionel Hollins impressed members of

the Clippers' front office, according to several NBA executives who

were not authorized to speak on the matter.

"I just think the NBA, we lead," Lakers forward Jared Dudley said. "I

think (Commissioner) Adam Silver, to me, is the best. He's trying to

make it right, trying to bring awareness front and centre. And for

the players, we're kind of like, 'I don't know if we should go there.

We don't know if the league would take over protests with a stance.'

And he's basically giving us a platform, a stage.

"I know we're going to do cool, different stuff, I even heard with

commercials, not even with the court, and what they're gonna be able

to do. So with the names, I like it. I think it's going to give

people a different chance."

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said coaches have "discussed ways that we

can wear things visually, but also ways we can be very vocal and use

our platform to help this movement."

The NBA also will have "Black Lives Matter" printed on the courts in

prominent locations, according to people familiar with the plans. The

league and union also are discussing other plans to help players

better use their platforms, including bringing in a series of guest

speakers.

In the handbook provided to players for the resumption of the season,

the NBA stated its intentions to use its return to amplify these

issues.

"A central goal of our season restart will be to utilize the NBA's

platform to bring attention and sustained action to issues of social

injustice, including combating systemic racism, expanding educational

and economic opportunities across the Black community, enacting

meaningful police and criminal justice reform and promoting greater

civic engagement," the league said on the second page of the

handbook. "We are in discussions with the Players Association to

develop a comprehensive strategy on how the NBA, its teams and

players can best address these important social issues and uniquely

position our league to drive action and create meaningful and

generational change."

Despite such efforts, New Orleans guard JJ Redick said there's no

"comfort level" for players right now - not in the middle of a deadly

pandemic, and with so many people fighting for change.

"To say that we have any sort of comfort level would be a lie. There

is no comfort level. We're not with our families. We're not at our

homes. We're isolated in a bubble in the middle of a hot spot in the

middle of Florida while there's social unrest in the country and

we're three months away potentially from the most important election

in our lifetimes. So there's all that going on," Redick said

Thursday. "Now, we have to figure out a way to perform and play

basketball and all that because I do believe it is the right thing to

go and play. But there is absolutely no comfort level. None. And I

know the league and I know the union has tried to create this

environment, and I get it.

"But, there's so much else going on right now. We're going to go play

and do our best, but we realize there are so many more important

things."

dpa

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