Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Chris Paul, president of the National Basketball Players’ Association, told ESPN’s The Undefeated on Saturday that the union and league are collaborating to allow players to wear specialized jerseys with a personalized message of social justice, social cause or charity on the back instead of the surnames during the next restart of the season.
The NBA’s custom jerseys with a statement are part of a long list of social justice messages that players plan to make when the league restarts in Orlando, Florida from July 30 until the rest of the season. Last Wednesday, the NBA and NBPA announced an agreement to continue discussing the fight against systemic racism and to make it one of the main objectives of the reboot. These custom shirts could say things like “Black Lives Matter” or “I Can’t Breathe”, bring light to a social or charity cause or even show the name of George Floyd or Breonna Taylor, both African Americans killed by police in the past months.
“We’re just trying to keep shedding light on the different social justice issues that the kids in our league keep talking about day after day,” Paul told The Undefeated. “People say social justice will be crazy for everyone in Orlando. With these shirts, it won’t go away.”
NBA players heavily involved in nationwide protests, vocal on social media and involved in the aftermath of Floyd’s death in Minneapolis on May 25 and Taylor’s death in Louisville, Ky on March 13 at the hands of the police. For those players who prefer to raise awareness of the cause or charity about their shirts unrelated to social injustice, police brutality or other racial issues, Paul said it will also be accepted. Paul, whose Thunder will play in the NBA restart, said he hadn’t decided what he wanted on the back of his shirt.
Paul said he spoke to several players, including those who are not black, who support the idea of the shirt. Paul said that players will not be forced and forced to wear shirts with a social justice message. There will also be suggestions offered to players looking for a cause to put their shirts behind them. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said on Friday in a media press conference that the league “has work to do” to make progress in hiring African Americans in notable roles and the need for diversity was discussed at a recent meeting of the Council of Governors. The NBA was 74.9 percent black during the 2018-19 season, according to the 2019 NBA Complete Racial and Gender Report Card issued by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida last Wednesday .
“The guys I talked to were definitely excited,” said Paul, 35. “The reason I am passionate and enthusiastic is that it gives voice to the voiceless. It also gives kids the chance to shed light on something they are passionate about. Otherwise, they may not have had a chance to express themselves.”
Paul protested peacefully at a Black Lives Matter event in Los Angeles and was vocal on social media about racial injustice and police brutality. The 15-year-old NBA veteran hopes that the shirts will trigger more conversations about each player’s social message or the cause listed on the back of the shirt in media interviews. Paul also says that the NBPA plans to respectfully reach the families of artists such as Floyd, Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin and others who have died to obtain their permission and blessing to use their names on the back of the NBA jerseys.
“I was just thinking about how far-sighted our league is and how passionate our league players are for different issues,” said Paul. “Our kids marched on the front lines and used their platforms. If the kids choose to come to Orlando to make sacrifices and play this game, why not be able to play and pronounce their name at the same time?
“At the marches they are saying, ‘Say his name … George Floyd. Say his name … Breonna Taylor.’ Obviously, we have to contact the families to see if it’s okay. “
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