Houston Rockets All-Star Russell Westbrook and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) are partnering up for a series of shirts featuring various social justice messages for players to wear in Orlando, and Westbrook provided a first glimpse at the shirt designs on Monday.
The NBA and NBPA had received some pushback after deciding on a predetermined list of 29 messages from which players could choose to display on the back of their jerseys during the restarted season as the Black Lives Matter movement continues across America. These messages included phrases such as: Black Lives Matter; Say Their Names; Vote; I Can’t Breathe; Justice; Peace; Equality; Freedom; Enough; and more.
Several players, including Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James and Anthony Davis, declined on wearing a message from the list.
The NBPA and Westbrook's clothing company, Honor the Gift, have provided another option for players who want to don a different message while in the bubble, though it remains unclear exactly when they will be worn (practice and/or warm-ups, I assume?).
“Honor the Gift is extremely proud to collaborate with the NBPA to create a collection of shirts that allow us players to shed light on social injustice, and honor the victims and families of those who continue to inspire us,” Westbrook tweeted with the designs.
Honor the Gift is extremely proud to collaborate with the NBPA to create a collection of shirts that allow us players to shed light on social injustice, and honor the victims and families of those who continue to inspire us. pic.twitter.com/drf2f7NocD
— Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) July 20, 2020
Some of the messages on Westbrook's shirts include: Systemic Racism, I Can’t Breathe, Police Reform, Strange Fruit, By Any Means, Power to the People, Equality, No Justice No Peace, and Am I Next?
His collection also features a shirt with the words “We Honor” on the chest, above names of Black people who have lost their lives to police violence.
Westbrook, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, was cleared to join his teammates in Orlando.
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