Recently, the National Basketball Association announced that when professional basketball re-starts in late July, players can print a social justice message of their choosing in place of their names on the backs of their jerseys.

Well, not really of their choosing. The league has a list of “approved slogans” players can choose from. In other words, the NBA wants players to express themselves, as long as their expression is sanctioned by the powers that be.

Oh, and on the list, you won’t find “Jesus is Lord,” “Choose Life,” WWJD,” or “I support Hong Kong.”

Whenever someone promises to give you a right you already have, your spidey-senses should be going crazy. Typically, what that means when it comes to the freedom of speech is they want to give you their speech.

The NBA has long been unwilling to rock boats, especially the ones that bring their financial windfalls.