The Dallas Mavericks stopped playing the national anthem for their home games at the behest of their owner, Mark Cuban, he confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.
The Mavericks do not intend to resume the tradition of playing the national anthem for matches in the future.
Cuban, who declined to comment, made the decision after consulting the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver. The Mavericks have not announced the policy change, but the national anthem has not been played for any of their 13 preseason and regular season games in the American Airlines Center this season.
According to a team source, no player, coach or staff of other teams mentioned the change.
The NBA rulebook requires players to stand during the national anthem, but Silver has refused to enforce that rule, especially since kneeling during the national anthem has become a popular way to protest social injustice in recent years. The vast majority of NBA players and many coaches knelt to the national anthem during last summer’s NBA restart in Orlando, Florida, when the League recorded messages of support for the movement. Black Lives Matter and other causes of social justice in court design and other forms.
“I recognize that this is a very emotional issue on both sides of the equation in America right now, and I think it requires real commitment rather than enforcing the rules,” Silver said at a December press conference.
In an interview in June on Off the lines the ESPN, Cuban expressed support for the players kneeling during the national anthem as a form of protest.
“If they knelt and were respectful, I would be proud of them. I wish I could join them, ”Cuban said.
Cuban then added that he hoped the league would “allow players to do what is in their hearts.”
“Whether they raise their arms, or they kneel, whatever, I don’t think it’s a matter of respect or disrespect to the flag, the national anthem or our country,” Cuban said. “I think this is more a reflection of our players’ commitment to this country and the fact that it is so important to them that they are willing to say what is in their hearts and do what they think is right.”
“I’ll admit [el comisionado] Adam [Silver] on any final judgment and [la directora ejecutiva del sindicato de jugadores] Michele Roberts. But the reality is, I hope we get the players to do exactly what they think is right. “Things to do.”
In 2017, Cuban took a different view after President Donald Trump criticized NFL players who knelt during the national anthem to protest social injustice and police brutality.
“This is the United States and I am proud of the people who speak civilly. That is who we are as a country,” Cuban said at the time. “I’m standing there with my hand on my heart. I think the players will be [de pie]. I hope they are. “
Three years later, as the Black Lives Matter movement continued to grow, Cuban explained what changed his mindset.
“Because I think we’ve learned a lot since 2017,” he told OTL in June. “I think we have evolved as a country. And this is really a unique moment in time when we can grow as a society, we can grow as a country and be much more inclusive and much more aware of the challenges that minority communities face.
“So I’ll be in tune with our players, whatever they want to do. But again, when our players in the NBA do what they have in their hearts, when they do what they think they represent who they are and try to make this happen. country forward… “. When it comes to race relations, I think it’s a beautiful thing and I will be proud of it. “