Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler hoping to remove name from jersey in support of fight against social injustice

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler will not participate in the league's program to allow players to wear social justice messages on jerseys

It is not about what Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler will wear on the back of his jersey once the season restarts later this month in Orlando.

It's about what won't appear.

On Tuesday, Butler said he will not participate in the NBA's option to allow players to don social justice messages on their jersey. Instead, he is hoping to remove his name from the back of the uniform.

Butler said it's a way for him to relate to other minorities who aren't millionaire athletes.

"With no name, it's going back to who I was," Butler said. "I'm no different than anybody else of color and I want that to be my message in a sense that just because I'm an NBA player, everybody has the same rights no matter what. That's how I feel."

The NBA gave players a list of approved messages they could back the remainder of the season. They include Black Lives Matter, Say Their Names, Vote, I Can't Breathe, Justice, Peace, Equality, Freedom, Enough, Power to the People, Justice Now, Say Her Name, Sí Se Puede (Yes We Can), Liberation, See Us, Hear Us, Respect Us, Love Us, Listen, Listen to Us, Stand Up, Ally, Anti-Racist, I Am A Man, Speak Up, How Many More, Group Economics, Education Reform and Mentor.

The campaign is in response to recent racially-charged incidents throughout the country, including the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. Floyd, who was black, died in May after being in the custody of four Minneapolis officers. The incident led to protests across the world. Arbery was shot and killed by two white males who suspected him of burglary in Georgia earlier this year.

Butler said he supported all the messages but he is more focused on moving the conversation forward. Last month Butler told a story during the Heat's online town hall discussion on race of being called the N-word at a grocery store in suburban Houston when he was 16. 

"For me, it's a lot more about action," Butler said. "... To teach the people around me, doing what I can."

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