Social Justice in the NBA

2020 has been a year filled with unprecedented twists and turns, leaving many people feeling isolated and helpless. In these times of political and social instability, it is important that those with power and influence, use their platforms to promote positive change and raise awareness. A good example of this heightened activism is within the NBA. 

According to NBA.com, “shedding light on these issues [of racial injustice] [is] a shared goal of the 2019-20 season restart in Orlando.” From the painting of “Black Lives Matter” on the court, to individual player funds for justice and support, the NBA has presented activism through many mediums. 

In early July, the NBA announced that they would allow the players to write social justice messages on the back of their jerseys, in place of their last names-which moved below their number. There were 29 messages approved, some popular ones being Black Lives Matter; Say Their Names; Vote; I Can’t Breathe; Justice; Peace; Equality; Freedom; Enough (nba.com). This consolidated list was intended to help keep the focus on topics such as police brutality and systemic racism. 

Of the 350 players who were listed on the NBA-restart roster’s, 300 chose to wear social justice messages on the back of their jerseys, while only 50 players decided to stick with their last names (The Undefeated). This decision was a hard and intentional one for many of the athletes. Jimmy Butler, of the Miami Heat, offers an interesting perspective as to why he chose not to write a message: “With no message, no name, it’s going back to who I was. If I wasn’t who I was today, I’m no different than anybody else of color… I wanted that to be my message” (The Undefeated).  When watching a basketball game, you spend the majority of your time looking at the players’ backs, so having these messages so boldly expressed across the court is very powerful as it reiterates the fact that these issues are bigger than basketball. 

Additionally, there has been a lot of athlete-driven action taken. On Wednesday, August 26th, following the tragic shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Bucks refused to play their playoff game versus the Orlando Magic. This came as a big shock to fans and the NBA as a whole, as the Bucks (at the time) were strong contenders to be the season’s champions. This decision sparked a wave within the bubble; later that day, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Portland Trail Blazers announced that they would not be playing either. This so-called ‘strike’ was a powerful one, making fans all over the nation, as well as the NBA itself, reflect on their values.

For almost a day, no one knew whether or not the NBA playoffs would resume. On Thursday, August 27th, the association accepted some demands that were presented by various teams. These agreements included the establishment of a Social Justice Coalition, working with local officials to turn arena properties in voting locations, and raising general awareness in voter access and opportunity (NBCSports). However, some are questioning whether the acceptance of these demands is transactional or meaningful.

Overall, it is clear that the NBA has effectively utilized its platform to raise awareness of various pressing social justice issues. Despite being confined to their own “bubble”, each team and player in the association has taken a stand to spark a movement in creative ways and it has become a collective fight for something greater than the sport and competition.