Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer: I Would've Supported Players Kneeling for Anthem
While the movement spread throughout the NFL, protesting during the national anthem never became a staple of NBA games.
Had the anthem protests moved over into the NBA, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said he would've been behind his team's players, while referencing the league's current rules regarding the anthem.
"I think on that one, we had clear rules," Ballmer said on the matter, per Yahoo Finance's Daniel Roberts on Monday. "I would have supported our guys, I would have been OK with whatever they wanted to do. But the rule was clear that you need to stand for the national anthem, and if you don't, there's consequences, and our players all knew that."
Until recently, NFL rules weren't explicit in mandating players stand on the sideline during the anthem. Team owners amended the policy in May to stipulate players must stand if they're present for the anthem. Players may also choose to stay in the locker room.
Shortly after the NFL altered its anthem policy, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told reporters the league wasn't looking to make a similar move. Silver added the NBA hadn't addressed the matter with the National Basketball Players Association, either.
Ballmer's recent comments echo the view he expressed during an interview on Fox Business' Cavuto: Coast to Coast in November.
Ballmer said he supported the NBA's current rules regarding the anthem but that "[it's] a good thing for our players to express themselves and the issues they think are important."
