Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will not wear a social justice message on the back of his jersey when the NBA returns on July 30. Davis says representing his family name is too important to him.
"I think the name 'Davis' is something I try to represent every time I step on the floor with my family. I was torn between the two," Davis said, per Mark Medina of USA Today. "My last name is very important to me."
Davis joins fellow Lakers teammate LeBron James in his decision. James says he would have preferred to select what specifically was written on his jersey, rather than pick from a list of approved statements.
"I didn't go with a name on the back of my jersey," James said Saturday, according to ESPN. "It was no disrespect to the list that was handed down to all the players. I commend anyone that decides something on the back of our jersey. Just something that didn't seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal.
"I would have loved to have a say so on what would have went on the back of the jersey, but I'm OK with that. ... I don't need to have something on the back of the jersey for people to understand my mission and what I'm about."
[Via]