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."