NBA Resumes Season with ‘Black Lives Matter’ Painted on Court

The NBA resumed its season Thursday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex with a few changes: "Black Lives Matter" is printed in block lettering near center court and social justice messages are embroidered on the back of many players' jerseys in place of their last names.This season, which will be played inside the league's bubble without any fans, is the first the league will permit this, after an agreement was reached between the league and its players union to allow players to choose from a list of 29 messages, including "Black Lives Matter"; "I Can't Breathe"; "Justice"; "Peace"; "Equality"; "Say Her Name"; "Anti-Racist"; "Group Economics" and "I Am a Man" — the slogan famously used in the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers' strike. "Black Lives Matter" and "Equality" were the two most popular choices, the Washington Post reported.The move comes after months of nationwide protests and unrest following the death of George Floyd.The messages will remain on the jerseys during the first four days of the season restart, after which players can choose between returning to a regular jersey or keeping both their chosen social justice message and their last name on their...