We'll Long for When the NBA Was About Sports, Not Politics

With Colin Kaepernick no longer playing are you starved for "social justice" in professional sports? Are you hankering to watch him take a knee during the national anthem? Do you miss the sight of his socks depicting pigs dressed in police uniforms?

You’re in luck. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), the union representing the players, are now in talks to allow players to replace their last name on the back of their jerseys with the "social justice" message of their choice.

"We're just trying to continue to shed light on the different social justice issues that guys around our league continue to talk about day in and day out," Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul told ESPN’s The Undefeated.

"People are saying that social justice will be off of everybody's mind in Orlando. With these jerseys, it doesn't go away," he continued.

The season will restart on July 30 in Orlando, Fla.

Michael Rubin, co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers saw nothing wrong with this — in fact, he thought the movement was "appropriate."

"I think that the NBA, the league's always really encourages players to use the league, the team and their platforms to make a difference on important . . .  issues," he said on CNN Sunday. "So, we think we can make an impact and that's what the NBA is all about."

That’s what the NBA is all about? I’ve been misinformed. For decades I thought the NBA was all about being a professional basketball league.

Rubin also co-chairs Reform Alliance, which says is "Reforming the criminal justice system by changing laws and policies while changing hearts and minds."

He added that although the players are eager to get back on the court, "it's a complicated period of time where I think to be able to use your platform, your brand, the NBA, your team to help bring the country together is I think something that a lot of people care deeply about."

If an agreement can be reached, prepare to see "Black Live Matter," "Support Antifa," "Delete Columbus From History," "Down With The Founders," "Blow Up Mount Rushmore,” and of course the now-popular but idiotic and juvenile demand that we "Defund the Police."

Given recent history, some observers wondered if the players would be given free rein to show their colors for whatever cause was on their mind.

The Daily Wire’s Ryan Saavedra asked, "Will they be allowed to make a statement about showing support for the Hong Kong protesters?"

Washington Post contributor Sonny Bunch was "excited to see all the Free the Uighurs jerseys tbqh [to be quite honest]."

Everyone knows that mainland China has been coming down hard on the people of Hong Kong. In addition, the indigenous Uyghurs in Xinjiang have been persecuted by the People’s Republic of China since at least 2014.

When Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed his support for Hong Kong demonstrators in a tweet last year, he was immediately put in his place. Team owner Tilman Fertitta said his GM didn’t speak for the team, and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James said Morey was “misinformed.”

Morey knew what side his bread was buttered on. He apologized for having an opinion unsupported by the NBA, stating that he "had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives."

The NBA’s approved "perspective" and party line is "China good, Hong Kong bad."

CNN’s Ana Canrera reported the movement on Sunday this way: “A number of players have expressed their concern that a return to action may distract from the social justice movement taking place around the country.”

Yeah, I can see the problem. People might revert back to the days when no one gave a hoot about what color the person next to him was or whether their political opinions were in agreement.

Good times. I miss those times.

I also miss those times when athletes — both amateur and professional — played the game and put on a good show for the fans without shoving some political opinion down our throats.

Those also were good times.

Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to BizPac Review and Liberty Unyielding. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter, who can often be found honing his skills at the range. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.