As part of its restart plan, the NBA is allowing its players to wear social justice messages on the back of their jerseys to bring awareness to the issues of police brutality and inequality that plague Black people in America.
However, there is one huge caveat that comes with that. The players were allowed to choose what message they wanted to put on the back of their jerseys, but only if it was one of the 29 messages the league approved.
Jimmy Butler didn’t want to use a league approved message, though. He didn’t want to use his name either. He just wanted to leave his jersey blank.
And so, without the league’s approval, he tried it on Saturday ahead of the Heat’s game against the Denver Nuggets. And officials refused to start the game until he put on a jersey with a name plate on it.
Jimmy Butler took floor for Miami vs. Denver today with no name on the back of the jersey as he vowed … referees have made him switch to a jersey with a name plate before allowing the game to start
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 1, 2020
Here’s the start of the game with Butler wearing the jersey. Officials made him go back to the bench and change.
Statement made. #BlackLivesMatter@JimmyButler pic.twitter.com/HKT63unwoz
— x – Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) August 1, 2020
He requested permission from the league a few weeks ago to do it, saying he felt like it properly represented who he’d be if he wasn’t a basketball player.
Jimmy Butler says he won’t wear anything on the back of his jersey. Not even his name. Wants it blank as his own social justice message. He feels like it represents who he would be if he weren’t a basketball player. pic.twitter.com/2I4vJUpL7x
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) July 14, 2020
“I love and respect all of the messages the league did choose, but for me, I felt like with no message, with no name, it’s going back to who I was. And if I wasn’t who I was today, I’m no different than anybody else of color. And I want that to be by message…everybody has the same rights no matter what.”
That’s a well-reasoned and clearly thought out stance from Butler, but the league still shut it down. It’s honestly not the greatest look for the NBA. Policing messages is never a good look.
Oh well. Good on Butler to give it a shot anyway.
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