Alex Caruso To Wear 'Black Lives Matter’ On Back Of Lakers Jersey
Alex Caruso will wear Black Lives Matter on the back of his Lakers jersey when the NBA season resumes July 30.
“I decided to put Black Lives Matter on the back of the jersey,” Caruso told Dunk Bait of Yahoo Sports. “I thought that as a white player in the NBA, I feel like showing the support and voicing that. As a figure that a lot of white kids growing up around the country idolize or are fans of, whatever you want to call it, I think it’s important for me to show that’s the right thing and that the message is equality and the message is justice. It’s making sure their voices are heard and that everybody treats everybody how they should be treated.”
The NBA and NBPA recently approved 29 social justice messages that players could wear on their jerseys.
Caruso has been using his platform to right racism and police brutality and recently said in a conference call that he wants to do his part in creating change.
"I feel like it costs zero dollars and zero cents to be a good person to treat everybody how they are supposed to be treated regardless of race, gender, age, political views," he said.
Other white NBA players who will wear Black Lives Matter on their jerseys include Milwaukee Bucks' Kyle Korver, as first reported by Yahoo! Sports, as well as Portland Trail Blazers' Zach Collins, as first reported by KOIN.
“I just think that in this moment in time, this is the message,” Korver told The Undefeated. “Anything I would ever hope to convey on the back of a jersey is represented in those three words.”
The NBA also will paint Black Lives Matter on the basketball courts at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
Caruso will likely see increased minutes in the backcourt after Rajon Rondo sustained a fractured right thumb in practice Sunday. Rondo is expected to be out six to eight weeks.
The Lakers (49-14) are in first place in the Western Conference and will play the Clippers on July 30 when the season resumes.
