Sam Amico
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So much for Mark Cuban’s idea of not playing the national anthem before Dallas Mavericks home games. So far this season, the Mavericks have avoided playing it, as relayed earlier by OutKick’s Joe Kinsey.
However, the league has issued a direct statement, insisting that Cuban’s team and the rest of the NBA must play the anthem.
“With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy,” NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass said in a statement released Wednesday.
Cuban confirmed to several media outlets that the anthem wasn’t being played at American Airlines Centeer, and that there were no plans to play it moving forward. Cuban has remained silent on the matter since the news was revealed.
Earlier Wednesday, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that a source close to Cuban said the decision “isn’t because they don’t love U.S., but because many feel anthem doesn’t represent them, and they want to continue the discussion of how to represent people from all communities when honoring the U.S. at games.”
UPDATE: The Mavericks released a statement saying they will comply with the rule, starting with Wednesday’s home game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Cuban just got smoked fuck em and good for the league
What’s gotten into to Adam Silver all of a sudden? Falling ratings from being obsessed with wokeness maybe?
I’m honestly shocked the NBA went in this direction…but maybe they still need some veneer of supporting America.
Mostly empty arena’s forever is terrify to the NBA.
“many feel anthem doesn’t represent them….” Seriously? I fully suggest that all of them enlist in one of our armed forces for 4 years.
That comment stood out to me as well. So they are living in a country where they can get paid millions of dollars in salary and endorsement contracts. But yet, this country doesn’t represent them? I used to be a die hard, life long Lakers fan. I stopped watching 3 seasons ago and haven’t missed it. The CCBBL (Chinese Communist Basketball League) needs to move to China.
I don’t understand what their problem is. Trump’s gone.
Hint: S A R C A S M
Agreed.
Wow, the NBA will continue to honor America. You see Cuban that dumb ass statement you made is the entire reason this is the best country in the world. That these knuckleheaded basketball players have the freedom in America to express dissent. That is what represents them and what American ideals represent: FREEDOM. The flag honors this great country that allows people to have differing opinions and not be put in jail or worse yet killed.
Simply sad that this idiot Cuban thinks this is a good idea.
Cuban got dunked on by the NBA…lol
Are we sure this is not just the NBA keeping the opportunity for its players to protest?
Don’t be fooled, people. The NBA is doing this for some other reason than to get back in the good graces of the subhumans who believe America First. This is certainly not a capitulation.
I will be proven wrong if the media heavily criticizes the NBA for this stance. If that does not happen, then this is an approved decision.
Well that didn’t age well for Cuban. But the NBA doesn’t care about the flag and patriotism. They knew in no uncertain terms that Cuban’s move would ruin that franchise and reflect even more negativity on the league. I bet if Silver had to do it again, they wouldn’t have done the BLM stuff. You cant have as bad a product as the NBA has been and then praise an anti American racist and Marxist organization, and expect it to be a good business move. This is all about trying to get out of the hole they dug. Cuban might not come back from this. Not when your team is based in Texas.
Only non sport related articles about the NBA make me read about the NBA. Pretty sad
Rest assured – this isn’t over yet.
Would be curious to know what % of black players would rather live in Cameroon, Nigeria, Rwanda or Senegal etc than the United States.
^and make the voting results public. Don’t be cowards, Put your name on it.
Return of the kneeling
We are not all white, we are not all black, we are not even all patriots, but we are all American.
Right On!!
The minority that still loves the United States needs to secede before the end.
“The hope is that those who feel passionate about the anthem being played will be just as passionate in listening to those who do not feel it represents them.”….keep hoping dipshit!
“because many feel the anthem doesn’t represent them”….
I assume Cuban is referring to entitled black millionaires who in any other country would be flipping hamburgers or mopping floors for minimum wage….if they were lucky. Perhaps the anthem of a communist regime or banana republic with no running water would suit them better.
Seriously, who the hell still watches this league?
Cuban – please shut-up and pay someone to think for you before you speak. This is worst than not speaking out about China because you do not get involved in domestic policies of other countries. Mark….you should be better than this.
I think Silver is part of a growing progressive camp that sees how the Trump protesters were treated and recognizes that these symbols are up for grabs right now – the anthem, the flag – they’re not doing much for the disenfranchised populists who showed up in Washington a month ago. I’m not sure they represent me or the principles of my country anymore. I guess I’m aligned with LeBron on that score.
Cuban is a communist. perfect name for such a jerk.
the anthem should played. let fans booo the shit out of players that kneel or stand and purposely display something other than hand over heart.
if its a protest you seek, when (and if) fans return, they will protest you and then never come back.
this has to end. someone on the left needs to explain to Lebron and others in the NFL, that this is our country’s anthem. no other anthem is our anthem.
if you like Canada’s anthem then go to Canada. Japan has one; go there. if you play for America, then this is our anthem.
Many feel the anthem doesn’t represent them?? By many he means the crybaby soft ass divas on his team! I hope the National Ballerina Association folds up & goes away!
The NBA saying the anthem will be played is dumb. The people that you would alienate by not playing the anthem are already gone. I don’t think they lose many more fans. They just need to full commit. Heck it might even them score them more access in the quasi free market dictatorship of China.
I agree. After last season’s shit show, if you walk into an NBA arena in 2021, you’re either super woke or super stupid (you know…the kind of people who can’t tell you who the vice president is, or the year the USA gained its independence). Few will care if players kneel, and some will probably kneel in their aisles in alliance.
In the 80’s, wrestling fans used to be the butt of jokes. Today, it is the clueless idiots who actually PAY to watch NBA’s China-sponsored, multi-millionaires on the court, playing a lifeless game of me-ball, or lobbing 3 pointers. After the games, the players kneel before Chairman Xi, smile, and swallow. They are the bitches, and NBA fans who watch them are the bitches of the bitches.
How does Cuban feel about the Chinese people being oppressed by the Chinese government that the Chinese national anthem doesn’t represent them? I bet he doesn’t believe in dissenting from his Master President Xi.
Can’t imagine why anyone would still be watching the NBA. Based on the way the Starts went at this, the NHL should get a lot more people watching.