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LeBron James shouldn’t be criticized for not wearing social justice message on jersey

By John W. Butler III

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LeBron James shouldn’t be criticized this time

LeBron James’ 17-year NBA career has been filled with controversial decisions. From the, “I’m taking my talents to South Beach,” moment to ditching Cleveland a second time to join the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron’s moves have been often criticized.

Unlike many of the decisions and milestones over the course of his career, LeBron’s decision to skip wearing a social justice message on the back of his jersey during the NBA’s restart should face no scrutiny at all.

With the NBA’s return to action set for July 30th, players have the option of replacing their names on the back of their jerseys with one of 29 league-approved messages promoting social equality. Kyle Korver of the Milwaukee Bucks will wear “Black Lives Matter” on the back of his jersey. Other players in the league will go with slogans such as “Respect Us,” “Say Her Name,” and “Equality.” We’ve seen similar signs of solidarity in other sports as professional athletes make their return from the COVID-19 hiatus.

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LeBron James made an official statement about his decision.

"“It’s just something that didn’t really seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal,” shared the three-time NBA champion. “I would have loved to have the say-so on what would have went on the back of my jersey. I had a couple of things in mind, but I wasn’t part of that process, which is OK. I’m absolutely OK with that.”"

Perhaps what LeBron had in mind to put on the back of his jersey was a bit more polarizing. It may have created uncomfortable conversations. We may indeed never know what message he intended to deliver on the back of his Lakers jersey. While the NBA’s approved slogans are a gesture in the right direction, LeBron’s decision to not participate speaks volumes.

The NBA has been here before. This league, and its players, have navigated through racial inequality and social injustice in America. The Celtics threatened to forfeit games when Bill Russell was denied entry into the team hotel due to the color of his skin in the 1960s. Former Chicago Bulls guard Craig Hodges wrote President George H.W. Bush a letter detailing the need for equality in Black communities across the country in 1991. LeBron James organized a memorable photo of the entire Miami Heat team wearing hoodies after the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012.

Can you blame LeBron James if he truly feels that promoting change on the back of his jersey isn’t enough?

Making a change is never easy. It requires uncomfortable conversations and dialogue. Of the 29 statements that the NBA and its players have selected to go on the back of jerseys, they all appear to make complete sense. Black lives do indeed matter. We shouldn’t forget the names of people who have been murdered at the hands of police officers, yet charges have not been appropriately filed. Equality is of the utmost importance. These subjects are all seemingly common sense.

The fight for safety and equal rights in this country continues to plague the minority population at an alarming rate. The NBA has been on board for over 60 years, yet the injustice that impacts a league dominated by African-Americans remains. Again I pose the question, can you blame LeBron James if he feels as though altering the back of jerseys isn’t enough?

I certainly can’t speak for LeBron James and what he feels is an appropriate action during this time. What I can say is that his decision was indeed powerful. There is an urgent need for change. All the respect in the world to the athletes who are moved to make a statement on their jerseys. But there are many athletes who feel the way that LeBron does. Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard are two high-profile NBA players who won’t be wearing messages of social justice on the back of their jerseys either.

For anyone still critical of LeBron’s decision, think about when we are typically accustomed to seeing changes to the NBA jerseys. Each team has a city addition to honoring something special about the city that they play in. On occasion, teams will wear throwback jerseys for nostalgia. The Christmas Day uniforms provide a holiday feel for games played on December 25th.

Next. NBA Restart Recap: What we now know after week 1. dark

We’re going to need more than a uniform alteration to bring about true change. You can’t fault LeBron if he feels as though the troubles we are facing in this country deserve more attention than a league-approved statement on the back of jerseys.`

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