LeBron James was the most notable player who elected not to choose one of the NBA’s approved social justice messages that most of the league are using to put on back of their jerseys, in place of their names. But less than a day later, two of the NBA’s biggest stars, including LeBron’s Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, joined him in electing to keep their names on their jersey.
Davis explained that he wanted to continue to “represent his family,” while Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Joel Embiid also elected not to wear one of the league-approved messages.
LeBron James cited that the approved statements didn’t quite resonate with his goals. Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart also told reporters that players are ‘upset’ about the options that the league approved. While statements like “Black Lives Matter,” were approved, none of the approved messages explicitly mention law enforcement or the police.
According to a report from ESPN.com’s Marc Spears, “Equality” is the most popular selection, followed by “Black Lives Matter.”
