The NBA has developed the reputation over recent years as being a league led primarily by its players, who have often times been outspoken about many political issues.
In light of that, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently told Rick Maese of the Washington Post that the current situation surrounding veteran quarterback Colin Kaepernick wouldn't transpire in the NBA:
“I don’t know what his status is in the NFL, but I’m glad the NBA doesn’t have a politician litmus test for our players,” Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “I’d like to think we encourage our players to exercise their constitutional rights….
“The NBA is such a global game,” Cuban said in an email, “I think our players exposure to different political systems among their teammates may help them appreciate our country even more and encourage their participation.”
Since opting out of his deal with the San Francisco 49ers, there has been little interest in him around the league. Many have drawn that to his decision last season to kneel during the National Anthem that created a major uproar through the national media beyond the sports world because it was viewed as disrespect of the flag by many while others supported his freedom of expression.
All of this has only added to his current situation being without a job in the NFL, which could be argued as being primarily centered on his porous play on the field rather than his political view.
At that same token, the NBA has embraced its players' decision to voice their political views that have called for more attention toward possibly police brutality and unequal treatment that Kaepernick had keyed in on. Ultimately, Cuban may have brought up a valid point that this may be a major difference that the NBA has in comparison to the NFL.
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