The NBA will paint the words “Black Lives Matter” on all of its seats when the game resumes in a closed environment in Orlando. This emerges from an ESPN report citing league sources.
The WNBA has also reportedly discussed the same plan.
Chris Paul, president of the NBA players ‘union, also told ESPN that the league and the union are working together to allow players to wear uniforms with personalized messages that deal with social justice instead of the players’ last names.
A number of NBA players have called on the league and players’ association to step up their campaign for social activism and racial justice, as nationwide demonstrations have sparked outrage at George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
Some NBA players have questioned whether the game, which was interrupted in March when the coronavirus crisis hit the country, should be resumed because they feared it would distract the social justice movement.
22 teams will play again at Walt Disney World in Orlando from July 30th. You play a shortened schedule to determine the final lineups for a 16 team playoff. All teams will play in a “bubble” element in Orlando to protect them and their employees from the corona virus. No fans will take part in the games.
The league reported on Friday that 16 players out of 302 had tested positive for COVID-19 in the first mandatory pre-restart tests.
Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed after a white policeman knelt on his neck and asked for help. Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with second degree murder and second degree manslaughter. Three other local officials were also charged with aiding and abetting the murder.
According to a recent poll by Pew Research, two-thirds of adults in the United States say they support the Black Lives Matter movement, 38 percent say they strongly support it.
The support extends across all racial boundaries: 86 percent of African Americans, 60 percent of Whites, 77 percent of Hispanics and 75 percent of Asian Americans show support for the movement.
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