Former Louisville basketball star spearheaded NBA jersey idea

Former Louisville basketball star Angel McCoughtry started an NBA Jersey trend.

A former Louisville basketball star is on the forefront for a big-time moment in the NBA.

By now, you’ve probably heard a lot of the news coming out of the NBA bubble. From injury news to player quarantines to beer chugging contests and everything in between, there hasn’t been a lack of stories.

However, one news story that is drawing quite a bit of attention is the player-backed movement to put the names of first responders and victims of police brutality on the back of their jerseys.

What you may not realize is that former Louisville basketball star Angel McCoughtry is behind this movement.

How former Louisville basketball star Angel McCoughtry’s idea has led to action

On June 22nd, McCoughtry posted on social media her intent to put the idea into action.

Also read: Predicting Jeff Wal’z 2020-21 rotation for Louisville basketball

Five days later, reports came out that the NBA was going to allow players to do as McCoughtry had proposed. She told ESPN:

"“That’s great, because it’s going to reach a wider audience. I just wish they would shine the light on our ideas a little more. I don’t want to be shut up in the dark when we come up with ideas.“The petition was started because I just wanted to make sure we had the support of the fans. I think we do a lot of things as WNBA players for our communities. My concern is that sometimes our initiatives are not seen by the world. If the NBA has that same idea, it will get so much love and attention, because they have a bigger platform. I get that. We constantly speak out, and it’s a little harder for us. But if this jersey campaign gets done for both leagues, I’ll be really happy.”"

The NBA has since approved a long list of names and phrases that will be allowed to be placed on the back of their jerseys for the entirety of the season in Orlando.

McCoughtry said she hasn’t heard directly from the WNBA about the jersey idea, but she understands the league has a lot going on with trying to get things squared away to have a 2020 season in Bradenton, Florida.

“They’re dealing with so much, but I feel the support,” she said. “I know they’ve been given a lot of ideas. I heard they were considering it, and I’m grateful for that.”

The WNBA did announce earlier this week that their season opening weekend will be 100 percent dedicated to Black Lives Matter with “all aspects of the game and player outfitting designed to affirm Black Lives Matter and honor victims of police brutality and racial violence,” according to the official release.

Over the last two months, McCoughtry has been one of the most vocal professional athletes speaking out against police brutality and systemic racism after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police, the latter taking place in Louisville a city she’s very familiar with.

Her message has been simple – action must be taken and a stand must be made for racial justice.

Playing four years at Louisville has given McCoughtry a special bond with not only the university and basketball program but with the city in general. That’s why she’ll wear Breonna Taylor’s name on the back of her jersey when the WNBA season kicks off later on this month in a NBA-like bubble in Bradenton, FL.

The work that McCoughtry is doing and awareness she’s going to help raise to for the black community is just the beginning. She told Yahoo Sports,

“It’s so many ideas once we start to create those relationships. We [can] just do so many different initiatives to help with the families, so that’s the goal.”

As you watch the NBA and WNBA bubble restarts get underway and see the various list of names and phrases that are on the backs of some of the most famous basketball players in the country, remember that McCoughtry was the mastermind behind them and that they are going a long way to starting a conversation about change that must take place.

McCoughtry will take the court for the first time for the Las Vegas Aces when the 2020 season kicks off as she looks to get back to the same level she was at prior to sitting out the 2017 season and dealing with a myriad of injuries after.

The former no. 1 overall pick, five-time all-star, six-time All-WNBA selection, winner of two scoring titles and two Olympic gold medals will play her first season outside of Atlanta, where she spent 10 seasons with the Atlanta Dream.

The Aces have been a big hit since officially joining the WNBA a few seasons back and will look to compete for their first ever title this season.