Detroit Pistons’ Reggie Bullock proposed a colorful idea on Twitter on Sunday: Playing basketball in a rainbow-colored jersey to “incorporate #LGBTQ into sports.”
The small forward implored the National Basketball Association to “make it happen” in his lifetime:
Bullock has long been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights. It’s a cause particularly close to him because his transgender sister, Mia Henderson, was found murdered in Baltimore in July 2014.
He has hosted an LGBTQ Pride Night, and even gotten the words “LGBTQ” tattooed on his calf next to Mia’s name.
The suggestion for a rainbow-colored, LGBTQ-friendly jersey was met with mixed reviews on Twitter. Among the positive reactions, one fan offered an iteration of what the potential jerseys might look like:
As for the NBA, its slowly been making strides at being a more inclusive organization.
In early 2014, Jason Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play in any of North America’s major professional sports leagues when he signed with the New Jersey Nets.
In August 2017, the NBA partnered with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), a Washington-based advocacy group, to expand opportunities for LGBTQ businesses to work with the league. This January, the Toronto Raptors became the league’s first team to host a “You Can Play” night in support of their LGBTQ fans.
In a vein similar to what Bullock proposes, the NBA previously partnered with GLSEN, which works to end anti-LGBTQ bullying in schools, and retailer Fanatics to celebrate Pride Month by offering T-shirts with rainbow-colored NBA logos.
The shirts launched in 2016, and are still available for purchase.
None of the line includes a rainbow-colored jersey. Perhaps, thanks to Bullock, that’s just another exciting thing to come.