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Gamers, coaches and employees kneel in the course of the nationwide anthem earlier than the sport between the Houston Rockets and the Portland Path Blazers at The Area at ESPN Broad World Of Sports activities Complicated on August 04, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Kevin C. Cox | USA TODAY Sports activities | Reuters
The Nationwide Basketball Affiliation is requiring groups to play the nationwide anthem earlier than video games, Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass mentioned in a press release Wednesday.
The league announcement comes after information that the Dallas Mavericks ceased taking part in the nationwide anthem previous to residence video games this season on the route of proprietor Mark Cuban.
The Mavericks haven’t performed the nationwide anthem earlier than any residence video games this season, a workforce spokesperson instructed NBC Information.
“With NBA groups now within the technique of welcoming followers again into their arenas, all groups will play the nationwide anthem in line with longstanding league coverage,” Bass mentioned within the assertion.
The announcement from Bass appears to contradict a earlier assertion from NBA spokesman Tim Frank, who instructed NBC Information that “groups are permitted to run their pregame operations as they see match.”
Although league coverage requires gamers to face for the nationwide anthem, based on NBC Sports activities, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hasn’t strictly enforced the rule, permitting gamers to kneel in the course of the anthem within the NBA bubble final season.
The Mavericks tackle the Atlanta Hawks at residence Wednesday night time on the American Airways Middle in Dallas.
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