The NBA will paint “Black Lives Matter” on all three courts at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando when the 2019-2020 season resumes.
What We Know:
- According to Zach Lowe and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the NBA will paint “Black Lives Matter” inside both sidelines on each of its courts. Lowe and Shelburne also reported that the WNBA will consider a similar move when their season opens.
- Oklahoma City Thunder guard and Players Association president Chris Paul said that a plan is in the works with the league concerning player jerseys. The union and league discussed having players wear “personalized social justice, social cause, or charity messages” on the backs of their jerseys, in place of their last names. Las Vegas Aces star Angel McCoughtry originated the idea for the WNBA in a tweet from June 25.
Say their names on our jerseys pic.twitter.com/AGF1r3Eqp2
— McCoughtry.eth (@angel_35) June 25, 2020
- Lowe and Shelburne also reported that WNBA players are considering wearing warm-up shirts bearing “Say Her Name” to bring attention to women who were victims of police brutality. Racial injustice is at the forefront of many NBA players’ minds. Several players participated in protests and and are working on projects to elevate Black communities.
- The NBA announced that it has finalized its restart plan. The league faces many obstacles ahead of its July 30 start date, including growing coronavirus cases in Florida. A number of players have already decided not to go or have tested positive for the virus.
The NBA released the schedule for the rest of the regular season earlier last week. The season will return with a double-header on July 30, with the Utah Jazz playing the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Lakers facing the Los Angeles Clippers.
