https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27580546/ninja-style-headwear-no-longer-allowed-nba The NBA won't allow players to wear "ninja-style headwear" this season. Several players -- including the Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler, the New Orleans Pelicans' Jrue Holiday, the LA Clippers' Montrezl Harrell, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns and the Brooklyn Nets' Jarrett Allen -- regularly wore the headgear a season ago. The NBA never had a formal process to approve the headgear, and allowed players to wear it during the 2018-19 season because, spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN, "We didn't want to cause a disruption by intervening midseason." The NBA notified teams in May that the headbands wouldn't be a part of this season's approved uniforms. The NBA's competition committee discussed the headwear as part of its meetings in Chicago on Monday. A source told ESPN that some members expressed concerns on safety, including the looseness of the headwear. "The ninja-style headwear is not part of the NBA uniform and hasn't been through the league approval process," Bass told ESPN in a statement. "Teams have raised concerns regarding safety and consistency of size, length and how they are tied, which requires a thorough review before consideration of any rule change. "When some players began wearing them last season, we didn't want to cause a disruption by intervening midseason, but we notified our teams in May that they would not be part of this season's uniforms." ------------------- Feel free to post reactions from either House or Westbrook. This seems pretty stupid. Sometimes the NBA seems forward thinking, then rules like this come out. The safety thing is utter bullshit in my opinion. Are the tails of these headbands going to choke little babies on the sidelines or something?
they still have samurai gear to look forward to. then the following year they can do power ranger helmets.
I hope in a head tie from time to time...I like them Jrue Holiday started the wave, other players picked it up, and now there’s a crackdown...smh
So basically, what I'm hearing is that the NBA (and Nike) haven't had time to figure out a way to profit off this, so until then the headbands are banned.
....seems arbitrary considering headbands are allowed and a "ninja style headgear" is basically a headband in a different fabric with a tied rather than sewn end. I can't imagine what safety concern those present that are distinct from headbands. They do look sloppy - but just come out and say we don't like it rather than cite some BS about concern for player safety.
As a very casual NBA fan as of late, I first noticed this a few days ago with the release NBA 2K20, and my first thought was: "I'm surprised the NBA allows that" (thinking back to Dwyane Wade's Nelly band-aid). Less than one week later... lol Wonder if all the NBA players stopped shaving and all grew Harden-esq beards, if the NBA would institute a clean-shave rule...
This is an outrage! How dare the NBA discriminate against ninjas (and ninja turtles)? It's 2019, Adam Silver! Ninjas no longer need to live in the closet!