Miami Heat small forward Jimmy Butler tried to wear a blank jersey on Saturday against the Denver Nuggets, but the referees working the game made the All-Star change his jersey.
After the Heat defeated the Nuggets, an NBA spokesman revealed to Marc Stein of the New York Times why Butler wasn't able to wear his blank jersey.
“Displaying no name or message on the back of a player’s jersey was not an option among the social justice messages agreed upon by the Players Association and the NBA as modifications to the rules regarding uniforms.
“Per league rules, the uniform may not be otherwise altered and anyone wearing an altered jersey will not be permitted to enter the game.”
Over 30 players requested a blank nameplate on their jerseys, per Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill. The NBA put together a curated list of social justice messages that players could wear on their jerseys down in Orlando, Florida, but the list was not expansive enough for guys.
Some of the biggest names in the NBA such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, James Harden and Joel Embiid don't have social justice messages on their jerseys.
After defeating the Nuggets, the Heat now have 42 wins on the season. Miami will use its remaining seven seeding games to continue to knock off the rust and prepare for the 2020 playoffs.
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