Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s move to stop playing the national anthem before the team’s games is reportedly not out of a lack of love for the country.
“Source close to Mark Cuban says decision to not play Anthem before Mavs games isn’t because they don’t love U.S., but because many feel anthem doesn’t represent them, and they want to continue discussion of how to represent people from all communities when honoring U.S. at game,” NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Twitter.
Source close to Mark Cuban says decision to not play Anthem before Mavs games isn’t because they don’t love U.S., but because many feel anthem doesn’t represent them, and they want to continue discussion of how to represent people from all communities when honoring U.S. at game.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 10, 2021
Cuban confirmed the team’s decision to stop playing the anthem on Tuesday. The national anthem has not played at any of the Mavericks’ 13 preseason or regular-season home games so far, and no players, coaches, or staff members of opposing teams have mentioned the change.
Cuban was originally one of the more outspoken opponents of protesting the national anthem, saying in 2017 that he planned on standing for the anthem and expected his players to as well.
“This is America, and I’m proud of people who speak out civilly. That’s who we are as a country,” Cuban said at the time. “I’ll be standing there with my hand over my heart. I think the players will be [standing]. I expect them to be.”
But Cuban softened his stance over the summer as social justice protests and riots raged across much of the country.
“If they were taking a knee and they were being respectful, I’d be proud of them. Hopefully, I’d join them,” Cuban said in June.
After being asked about what changed his mind, Cuban said that the country has evolved in the last few years.
“Because I think we’ve learned a lot since 2017,” he told ESPN’s Outside The Lines in June. “I think we’ve evolved as a country. And this is really a unique point in time where we can grow as a society, we can grow as a country and become far more inclusive and become far more aware of the challenges that minority communities go through.
“So, I’ll stand in unison with our players, whatever they choose to do. But again, when our players in the NBA do what’s in their heart, when they do what they feel represents who they are and look to move this country forward when it comes to race relationships, I think that’s a beautiful thing, and I’ll be proud of them.”
