ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 20: Norman Powell #24 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after hitting a three-point basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half at State Farm Arena on January 20, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Norman Powell had something different in mind for his jersey message.
The NBA is easily the most progressive professional sports league in the country and has decided to give players the option of putting a message on the back of their jersey instead of the last name.
The messages are focused on social justice and specifically the “Black Lives Matter” cause. Yet some players wanted to go more in-depth, only to be shut-down by the league. Toronto Raptors veteran Norman Powell shared how his idea was shot down in favor of a more generic approach.
Norman Powell is shedding light on the process
Powell has reportedly decided to go with “Black Lives Matter” on the back of his jersey. However, his disappointment comes after his original idea did not fit the criteria approved by the NBA.
A message of “Am I Next?” is much more powerful, but clearly did not fit the NBA’s standards. Having messages on the jerseys in the first place is a good thing. But the goodwill begins to diminish just a bit if there are only a select few options available selected by higher-ups in the league.
The league reportedly worked with the Player’s Association to come up with a list of messages, but a prominent figure like LeBron James was not invited to take part. That does raise some initial questions of how much say actual players had in all of this.
Some players initially expressed concerns about going into the Orlando bubble in the first place while social unrest was taking place across the country. The NBA was able to make some concessions and jersey messages were one of those.
We will have to wait and see if the NBA limiting the options becomes a bigger deal once the games begin, or if players display messages in different ways.