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With the NBA returning to action for the first time since mid-March, many players have opted to replace their own names on the back of their jerseys with messages of social justice such as “Equality,” “Peace,” or “Black Lives Matter.” Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat, however, opted for a different approach to his jersey.
Butler tried donning a completely blank jersey with no name on it at all. Though Butler’s message for why he wore the blank jersey was admirable, the NBA did not allow him to wear it.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the NBA’s statement on the matter was this: “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.”
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That sounds a tad parsimonious, but Butler was apparently nonplussed by the NBA’s statement, once more according to Stein:
“Jimmy Butler says he doesn't know exactly why he was asked to change his jersey before tipoff and adds “I don't care’ about the league's explanation. Butler said he relented ‘for my teammates’ and described it as ‘to be determined’ if he tries to play in a blank jersey again.”
The reason opted to wear a blank was outlined in a video released by the Miami Heat in July:
“If I wasn’t who I was today, I’m no different than anybody else of color. And I want that to be my message, in the sense that just because I’m an NBA player, everybody has the same right no matter what.”
