The Athletic’s, Shams Charania, reports that NBA and the NBA Players Association are planning to allow the players to switch their last names on the back of their jersey to social statements, once the season resumes in July.
Both the NBA and the NBAPA, along with Nike and the creators of NBA jerseys, are currently in the process of deciding the best plan of action, according to Charania.
The NBA giving players the option to change their last names for social justice statements mirrors what the Premier League did upon their return in June. Players will be allowed to have “Black Lives Matter” on the back of their jersey for the first 12 games.
Instead of allowing the resumption of the NBA season to become a distraction, as some fans and players have claimed it would, the league and the NBAPA search to find ways that will allow their voices to create change.
As the NBA season nears its return, players and the league continue to work to ensure innovative ways to create social change. In a previous statement released by Lebron James, he says once he is back on the court, his work off will continue until a real difference is seen.
