Reggie Bullock, the forward with the Detroit Pistons, wants to wear a rainbow jersey during an NBA game, and he’s asking the NBA to help make that happen.
Bullock took to Twitter over the weekend to publicly declare his hope that this will happen with the league’s support:
Just woke up out a dream and thought about playing in a 🌈 colored jersey to incorporate #LGBTQ into sports. @nba help me make it happen in my lifetime 🙌🏾
— Reggie Bullock (@ReggieBullock35) April 22, 2018
Bullock has not been shy about sharing his support for LGBTQ inclusion over the last couple of years. Four years ago his transgender sister, Mia Henderson, was murdered. Her death spurred Bullock to reach a deeper understanding of his sister and the tragedy of her murder.
Now he’s one of the very few professional athletes using his platform to build acceptance of people like his sister. He even got a tattoo of “LGBTQ” on his leg.
Of course, if he were traded to the Denver Nuggets and they had a “throwback-jersey” game, his wish would be granted. But we know Bullock’s intention with this is a lot more meaningful.
So what are the hurdles he is facing in getting this done?
First, Bullock would have to convince his team to 1) create a rainbow-colored team jersey and then 2) decide they want to have players wear said jersey during a game. Then there are other hoops, like getting league approval, before they can use the jersey.
To be clear, Bullock isn’t advocating only he wear the jersey, as that would be impossible. His entire team would have to wear it.
The NBA has shown a league-wide interest in building LGBTQ-inclusion messages, so it’s within the realm of possibility that Bullock — on the right time with the right management — could get this done.