In a move that involves one of the oddest phrases you’ll ever see used by a professional sports league, the NBA has banned its players from wearing “ninja-style headwear.”
Regularly worn by players including the Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler, Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans and Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the ninja-style headbands were discussed by the NBA’s competition committee, and a source told ESPN some members expressed safety concerns about 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.”
Interestingly, former headband-wearer Mike Scott of the Philadelphia 76ers said he was told Nike pushed for the band ban because the look was “unprofessional.”
According to @mikescott, @Nike and @NBA have banned the ninja-style tied headbands that became so popular last year. According to Scott, Nike said they appeared “unprofessional”. 🏀 Bad move IMO, as players and fans loved this new style #NBA pic.twitter.com/PCJic2n446
— "Crazy" Jay Larrananga (@ZakBagu) September 7, 2019
The ban drew various reactions on Twitter, most of them tinged with a bit of humor given the subject matter.
long live Summer “Ninja-Style Headwear” KAT.
gone but not forgotten https://t.co/WSl7YZ5oIE pic.twitter.com/E73zZqQj1W
— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) September 9, 2019
i love that someone at the nba had to type the words “ninja-style hardware” and “consistency of size and length” as their job today https://t.co/n70otsakt1
— Blake Griffin (@blakegriffin23) September 9, 2019
When you find out the NBA is banning those ninja style headbands pic.twitter.com/7NjzCP4FcL
— Offszn Jay (@jshyb_9450) September 9, 2019
The NBA is right. We have to ban ninja-style headbands. So, so dangerous. pic.twitter.com/zuUBpJc54r
— Deuce Mason (@DeuceMason) September 10, 2019
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