Fans will notice something new when the NBA returns at the end of the month. Players, and the courts themselves, will be taking a stand for social justice.
The NBA says players can wear social justice messages on their jerseys. The league is painting Black Lives Matter along the edge of the three courts that will be used in Orlando. There will be plenty of #socialjustice to go around.
But not too much.
The NBA is clearly hiding from a real human rights crisis, a wave of racism and brutality that shouldn't be ignored.
The NBA, and its star players, are pretending that China is not a human rights monster.
Missouri Republican Senator John Hawley called the NBA out last week. And got jumped-on in return.
Clay Travis at a great sports sight Outkick.com pointed-out the hypocrisy. As he wrote, "The NBA is permitting players to make political statements on their jerseys, but only if those political statements, which have been pre-approved by the NBA, provide no risk to the league."
No risk to the league is the key.
No one will criticize the NBA for echoing Black Lives Matter, or perpetuating the myth that racist cops are hunting young black men.
But standing up to China? That will cost the league, the players, Nike, and a whole lot of other people.
Keep that in mind as NBA fans are flooded with #socialjustice this month. The pro-justice stance is about as deep as a dollar bill is thick.
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