LeBron James once notoriously said “Shut up and dribble” condemning Fox News voice Laura Ingraham for expressing her opinion on politics, she decided to send a message by not sending a message.
While the NBA has granted players the right to put a select group of social justice messages on their shirts, the back of the LeBron jersey no. Los Angeles Lakers 23 will simply say “James” when the NBA season resumes in the Orlando bubble, Fla.
The reason? LeBron had a couple of ideas as to what his knitting message would be but I’m not on the approved list (see left).
“I congratulate anyone who decides to put something on the back of the shirt”, James told ESPN. “It’s just something that didn’t seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal. I wish I could have said so about what would have happened on the back of my shirt. I had a couple of things in mind, but I wasn’t part of that process and that’s fine. “
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By the way, “Group economy?” What the hell.
Of course LeBron would have its unique message. Most likely he would have classified as Ingraham, as well as owners who are perfectly fine with Disney’s players and workers who risk their lives so that the NBA can make money.
LeBron is the most powerful player in the league and he knows it. The bubble probably only happens because LeBron has a chance in another league.
For him to buy in the words approved by the NBA, it would water down the message of one of the most vocal players of the game who is very politically active, even starting a voter registration initiative one month ago.
Good for LeBron for not purchasing the NBA performance alliance.
Remember that this is a league that officially has a policy against kneeling during the national anthem.
It is also a league in which racist Donald Sterling owned one of his franchises. Sterling is a great reminder of many things that can be true of racists:
- You can go out … err … have a archivist who is a black Mexican woman and is still racist.
- You can have many well-paid black employees and still be racist.
Sterling left naturally, but only because V. Stiviano recorded his racist footprints, including the fact that he was angry with her for go out with Magic Johnson. Imagine not loving Magic Johnson.
Do you think Sterling is the only racist in a league of predominantly white billionaires? A group of so-called “job creators” who largely had to be ashamed by their own players and fans in paying the employees of the arena during the sports arrest. They know they have to let the players make some sort of statement, but by endorsing somewhat mainstream ideas, they can control it and hopefully everyone will keep the masses at home watching basketballI don’t try to break the system for the benefit of one percent.
Don’t forget that Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves, said he hoped that protesters would ask for justice after the killing of George Floyd by four Minneapolis policemen “Send their message through prayer and silent demonstrations.”
Imagine telling protesters to shut up and dribble.
LeBron will make his voice heard, one way or another. And it probably won’t be something approved by the NBA.
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