The Dallas Mavericks stopped playing the national anthem before the home games under the direction of owner Mark Cuban, he confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.
The Mavericks do not plan to resume the tradition of playing the national anthem before future games.
Cuban, who declined to comment further, made the decision after consulting with NBA commissioner Adam Silver. The Mavericks did not announce the change in policy, but the national anthem was not played before any of their 13 preseason and regular season games at the American Airlines Center this season.
No player, coach or staff from other teams mentioned the change, according to a team source.
The NBA rules book requires players to stand up during the national anthem, but Silver refused to apply that rule, mainly because kneeling during the anthem has become a popular way of protesting social injustice in recent years. The vast majority of NBA players and many coaches knelt during the national anthem during the NBA restart last summer in Orlando, Florida, when the league incorporated messages of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and other causes of social justice into the design. court 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 involvement, rather than application of rules,” Silver said during a news conference in December.
In an interview in June for ESPN’s Outside the Lines, Cuban expressed support for players who kneel during the national anthem in protest.
“If they were kneeling and being respectful, I would be proud of them. I hope to join them,” said Cuban.
Cuban added that he hopes the league “will allow players to do what is in their hearts”.
“Whether with the arm raised, whether with a knee, whatever, I don’t think it’s a matter of respect or disrespect for the flag, the anthem or our country,” said Cuban. “I think this is more of a reflection of our players’ commitment to this country and the fact that it is so important for them that they are willing to say what is in their hearts and do what they think is right.
“I will postpone for [Silver] in any final judgments and [players’ union executive director] Michele Roberts. But the reality is that I hope that we will let players do exactly what they think is the right thing to do “.
In 2017, Cuban expressed a different opinion after President Donald Trump criticized NFL players who knelt during the anthem to protest social injustice and police brutality.
“This is America and I am proud of people who speak civilly. This is what we are as a country, ”said Cuban at the time. “I will be there with my hand over my heart. I think the players will be [standing]. 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 when we can grow as a society, we can grow as a country and become much more inclusive and become much more aware of the challenges that minority communities go through.
“So, I will be in unison with our players, whatever they choose to do. But then again, when our players in the NBA do what is in their heart, when they do what they feel represents who they are and try to make this country move forward when it comes to race relations, I think it’s a beautiful thing and I will be proud of them. “