Following the example set by Derrick Rose, in support of the late Eric Garner’s family, several players have donned black “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts during pregame warmups.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver was sitting courtside Monday night in Brooklyn when members of the Nets and Cavs wore the shirts, and though he says that he’s all for the players expressing themselves, he gingerly let it be known that he’d prefer they stick to the regular on-court dress code.
It remains to be seen if the L will do anything to curb this silent protest.
Per Yahoo! Sports and the NY Times:
“I respect Derrick Rose and all of our players for voicing their personal views on important issues, but my preference would be for players to abide by our on-court attire rules,” Silver said in an email Monday night.
Not every organization will be as supportive as the Cavaliers and the Nets. In James, Cleveland has the game’s biggest star. The Nets’ roster is filled with veterans and led by a supportive coach, Lionel Hollins. […] “They should be political,” Hollins said of his players. “They should be about social awareness. Basketball is just a small part of life. If they don’t think that there is justice, or they feel like there is something they should protest, then they should. That is their right as citizens of America, and I have no problem with that at all.”
(Jarrett) Jack described the players’ public stance as “almost like a civic duty,” adding, “We want people to know that we are not oblivious to what is going on around us.”
