Sad: The entire Lakers team was banned by the NBA from wearing shirts in the big match of the New Orleans Pelicans season, making fans worried
Sad: The entire Lakers team was banned by the NBA from wearing shirts in the big match of the New Orleans Pelicans season, making fans worried
One Lakers player did not take too kindly to the news
THE Los Angeles Lakers have been placed under a blackout by the NBA.
The Lakers have been told they cannot wear their preferred black alternative City Edition uniforms in their key in-season tournament semifinal against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 7.
The LA Lakers are undefeated in four games while wearing their black jerseys in the NBA’s in-season tournamentCredit: Getty
Austin Reaves celebrates a three-point shot against the Phoenix SunsCredit: Getty
LeBron James and his teammates are not happy about the jersey switchCredit: Getty
It is a massive blow for LeBron James and his teammates, who are undefeated in their “lucky” black jerseys during four games of the new tournament.
The NBA has concerns over the visual contrast between the uniforms and the design of the specialized T-Mobile Arena court, per an ESPN report.
Instead, the Lakers are slated to wear their gold jerseys against the Pelicans in Las Vegas.
The team is clearly unhappy with the news.
When one Lakers player was told the team wouldn’t be allowed to wear the black jerseys, he told ESPN: “That’s a**.”
The Lakers have a history of success while wearing black.
The team went 4-1 in the 2020 NBA bubble while wearing their “Black Mamba” uniforms to honor the late Kobe Bryant.
The Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks play in the other semifinal of the inaugural in-season tournament.
Earlier this week, ESPN announced a collaboration with Kevin Hart ahead of the event’s final on December 9.
The network has joined forces with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions once again as well as Hart’s Hartbeat to produce NBA Unplugged with Kevin Hart.
This new show will allow fans an insight into how “Hart and his friends watch the NBA with lively discussion, debate and banter.”
Members of the tournament-winning team will each pocket a reported $500,000, while the runners-up will earn $200,000 a piece, as per NBA.com.
However, these amounts will be halved for any players on two-way contracts.
