NBA to Paint 'Black Lives Matter' on Courts for Remainder of Season
The NBA is planning to paint "Black Lives Matter" on the courts being used for the remainder of the 2019-2020 season, ESPN reports. The move by the league is the latest in a series of efforts aimed at bringing attention to racial inequality, social injustice, and police brutality.
"Black Lives Matter" has been painted on many streets throughout the United States following the murder of George Floyd and countless other Black individuals at the hand of law enforcement. Now, the phrase will appear on the court inside both sidelines in all three arenas the NBA is using to finish the current season at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
According to ESPN, the WNBA is also considering painting "Black Lives Matter" on the court at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida when the abbreviated season begins.
Reports have also revealed that the NBA will likely allow players to add statements on social justice to the back of their jerseys for the rest of the season, as the league plans to use its platform to address racial inequality and social injustice in the United States.
The 2019-2020 NBA season is scheduled to resume late next month in Florida. Some players, including Kyrie Irving, have suggested a boycott, insisting attention should not be averted from the Black Lives Matter movement.