Among all the other changes coming for the restart of the NBA season in Orlando, one thing that has flown somewhat under the radar is that players are allowed to replace their names on the back of their uniforms with an NBA approved social justice slogan.
The policy came in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and the mass outpouring of support against anti-Black racism after the killing of George Floyd.
The new policy is not without controversy. Toronto Raptor Norm Powell has criticized the slogans as "cookie-cutter" and says players should have been allowed to include a slogan of their choosing.
Instead, the NBA provided players with a list if 29 slogans that will appear on the back of their uniforms where their last name usually goes.
As the Raptors get set to tip-off in their first scrimmage tonight against the Houston Rockets, it's now been revealed what slogans will appear on the back of each player's uniform.
- Dewan Hernandez, Black Lives Matter
- Malcolm Miller, Black Lives Matter
- Norm Powell, Black Lives Matter
- Pascal Siakam, Black Lives Matter
- Matt Thomas, Black Lives Matter
- Fred VanVleet, Black Lives Matter
- Paul Watson, Black Lives Matter
- Kyle Lowry, Education Reform
- Stanley Johnson, Equality
- Marc Gasol, Justice
- Oshae Brissett. Respect Us
- OG Anunoby, Say Their Names
- Patrick McCaw, Say Their Names
- Chris Boucher, See Us
- Terence Davis, Speak Up
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Speak Up
- Serge Ibaka, Respectez Biso (French dialect of "Respect Us")
Earlier this week, Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri explained to TNT why the Raptors have been the most prominent NBA team in their support of Black Lives Matter, including printing the message on their buses.
"We said we were going to use the bubble as a statement." #WeTheNorth | @NBAonTNT pic.twitter.com/mjsaRWgZuD
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) July 24, 2020
Ujiri said it was important for the team to "make a statement", "create awareness" and reflect "what's going on in the country."
by Staff via blogTO
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