Adam Silver expects players to stand during national anthem

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made it pretty clear what the rules say regarding the national anthem.

On Thursday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver weighed in on NBA players and the national anthem. The NBA’s top man made it pretty clear he expects the players to stand for the anthem. This wasn’t an opinionated move from Silver, as he made it clear that it’s a rule and not up for debate.

“I’d only say that we have a rule that requires players to stand respectfully for the anthem,” Silver said. “That is our rule. I’m not going to prejudge any player conduct. We’ll deal with any situations that present themselves. But I’ve been very clear that our expectation is that our players will stand for the anthem.”

If you weren’t sure about the rule, it states in the section discussing the national anthem that: “Players, coaches, and trainers should remain reasonably still, stand tall in a straight and orderly line, and act in a respectful manner throughout this period.”

Silver has been viewed as a fair commissioner thus far in his time at the helm of the NBA. To avoid alienating his players who sit on either side of the standing or kneeling side of the fence, it’s pretty fortunate for Silver that this rule exists.

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The commissioner emphasized how important is for the players to remain active in their individual communities. He also discussed how important it is to show respect for the flag and said that if a player refused to stand for the anthem that the league would, “deal with it when it happens.” Silver will be forced to deal with this debate head on as the NBA season begins shortly.