What Mask Do NBA Players Wear?

With the NBA season in full swing, many fans are wondering what masks players are wearing to protect themselves from COVID-19. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most popular masks worn by NBA players.

NBA Players and Masks

In the NBA, players have been wearing masks to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. The masks have been effective in preventing the spread of the virus. However, some players have been reluctant to wear them. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of wearing a mask in the NBA.

Why do NBA players wear masks?

Masks have become a common sight on NBA courts since the league resumed play in the bubble at Walt Disney World.

While players are required to wear masks when they’re not playing, many have chosen to keep them on during games as well. Some players say they wear masks for protection, while others say it’s more about mental preparation.

“I think it just gets you in the zone a little bit more,” said Milwaukee Bucks guard Wesley Matthews. “It’s almost like you’re suiting up for battle.”

Masks can certainly help protect players from COVID-19, but they also come with their own challenges. Maintaining proper breathability is important, and some players have complained about fogging up their goggles. Players have also had to adjust to the feel of wearing a mask while playing at a high level.

“It definitely takes a little getting used to,” said Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving. “But I think it’s just part of the new normal.”

What type of masks do NBA players wear?

Players in the NBA are wearing a variety of masks to protect themselves from COVID-19. Masks are made of different materials, including cloth, plastic, and metal, and some players have even chosen to wear multiple masks at once. Below is a closer look at some of the masks that NBA players are wearing:

Cloth Masks: Many players are wearing cloth masks, which can be made from a variety of materials including cotton and polyester. Cloth masks can be purchased pre-made or sewn by the player themselves. Some players have even chosen to decorate their cloth masks with their team’s colors or logo.

Plastic Masks: Plastic masks offer more protection than cloth masks, but can be less comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Some plastic masks have a small hole in the front so that the player can still breathe easily while wearing it.

Metal Masks: Metal masks offer the highest level of protection but can be very hot and uncomfortable to wear. Players who chooses to wear a metal mask often has another cloth mask underneath it for added comfort.

Multi-Mask Systems: Some players are choosing to wear multiple masks at once for added protection. This often includes a cloth mask over a plastic or metal mask.

No Mask: A small number of players have chosen not to wear a mask during games. These players typically have underlying health conditions that make it difficult to wear a mask for long periods of time.

The History of Masks in the NBA

It is a little-known fact that the NBA was the first professional sports league to mandate the use of masks. This was back in the 1971-1972 season when the league was just 25 years old. The reason for the mask rule was to protect players who had recently undergone surgery to repair a broken bone or cartilage in their face.

The first mask in the NBA

The first mask in the NBA was worn by Dick Barnett of the New York Knicks in 1961. He wore it to protect a broken nose.

The next year, Barnett’s teammate, Phil Jordon, became the first player to wear a mask for more than just a couple of games. He wore it for more than four seasons.

In 1967, new rules were enacted that made it mandatory for all players who had suffered a facial injury to wear a protective mask during games. The rule was in response to an injury suffered by Los Angeles Lakers player Elgin Baylor, who broke his jaw during a game.

It wasn’t until 1981 that another player made wearing a mask part of his game-day uniform. That player was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Los Angeles Lakers, who donned a clear protective mask after breaking his hand in a game against the Detroit Pistons.

Since then, several other NBA players have worn masks as part of their on-court attire, including:

· Reggie Miller (Indiana Pacers) – Wore a clear protective mask in 1999 after breaking his nose.

· Shaquille O’Neal (Los Angeles Lakers) – Wore a black protective mask in 2000 after suffering facial fractures in a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

· Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) – Wore a clear protective mask in 2012 after suffering a broken nose during an All-Star Game.

The most famous mask in NBA history

It’s hard to forget the first time you saw Michael Jordan wearing a mask. It was the 1995 NBA Playoffs, and Jordan had just broken his jaw during a game against the Orlando Magic. He came back wearing a protective mask and led the Chicago Bulls to victory.

While Jordan’s story is the most famous, he’s far from the only NBA player to wear a mask. In fact, masks have been worn in the NBA for decades, dating back to the 1960s. Let’s take a look at the history of masks in the NBA.

Masks made their first appearance in the NBA in the 1960s. The most famous early mask wearer was New York Knicks center Bill Russell. Russell wore a mask during his final season in 1969-70 to protect a broken cheekbone.

Other players soon followed suit, with masks becoming more common in the 1970s and 1980s. players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and Mark Eaton all wore masks during their careers.

The 1990s saw a resurgence in mask-wearing, thanks in large part to Michael Jordan. As we mentioned, Jordan wore a mask during the 1995 playoffs after breaking his jaw. He wasn’t the only one; several other players wore masks during that decade, including Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Anfernee Hardaway.

Today, masks are still worn occasionally in the NBA. Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo wore a masked during his return from injury this season, and Houston Rockets guard James Harden has been known to wear one from time to time as well. With more and more players suffering serious facial injuries, it’s likely that we’ll see even more masked players in the future.

How Wearing a Mask Affects NBA Players

Most NBA players are wearing a mask when they play. The question is, does wearing a mask actually help protect them from the coronavirus? Some people say that it does and some say that it doesn’t. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of wearing a mask while playing in the NBA.

NBA players who wear masks

players who wear masks
While the majority of NBA players have chosen not to wear masks during games, a few have donned them in recent weeks. Among those are Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard and Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

While it’s unclear if either player has contracted the virus, both have worn masks during games out of an abundance of caution. Here’s a look at how wearing a mask has affected their play.

Kawhi Leonard
Wearing a mask hasn’t seemed to affect Leonard’s play much at all. In fact, he’s been one of the best players in the league since donning one.

In four games with a mask, Leonard is averaging 27 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range. He’s also been solid defensively, averaging two steals and one block per game.

James Harden
Harden has also been very good since putting on a mask, averaging 34 points, 7.5 assists and 6 rebounds while shooting 44 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range in four games. He’s also been more active on the defensive end, averaging two steals per game.

NBA players who don’t wear masks

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks have become a staple in everyday life. They are recommended by medical experts as one of the best ways to prevent the spread of the virus, and have been adopted by people around the world in an effort to keep themselves and others safe.

While face masks are now commonplace, there are still some people who refuse to wear them. This is especially true for NBA players, who are often seen on television without masks during games.

There are a number of reasons why NBA players may not be wearing masks. Some players may believe that they do not need to wear a mask because they are healthy and not at risk of contracting the virus. Others may find it difficult to breathe while wearing a mask, or may simply forget to put one on.

Whatever the reason, it is important to remember that NBA players are not immune to COVID-19. In fact, several players have tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic.

Wearing a face mask is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and all NBA players should be wearing them during games.

The Future of Masks in the NBA

It’s no secret that the NBA has been struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. With players testing positive left and right, the league has been forced to make some tough decisions. One of those decisions is whether or not to allow players to wear masks during games.

Will more NBA players start wearing masks?

It’s still too early to say if the NBA will see more players wearing masks next season. The league issued a memo in late June that said players could wear masks during games if they wish, but it’s ultimately up to each player to make that decision.

Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis wore a mask during the team’s scrimmage against the Pelicans on July 22, and Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell also donned a mask during LA’s game against the Lakers on July 24. But while those two players are among the first in the NBA to wear masks during games, it’s still unclear if other players will follow suit.

The NBA has not released any official guidelines on mask-wearing, but league sources told ESPN that the league is encouraging players to wear masks when they feel comfortable doing so. It’s also worth noting that the NBA has not yet released its plans for the 2020-21 season, so it’s possible that the league will issue more specific guidelines closer to next season.

For now, it seems like it will be up to each individual player to decide whether or not to wear a mask during games.

What type of masks will NBA players wear in the future?

The NBA is planning to allow players to wear masks during games next season, according to a report from ESPN.

The report says that the league is still discussing the specifics of the rule change, but that it is expected to be approved by the NBA Board of Governors.

The masks would be optional for players, but it is not clear if they would be required to wear them during practices or other team activities.

It is also not clear what type of masks would be allowed. The report says that some players have advocated for the use of clear masks, so that opponents can see their expressions.

The NBA has not commented on the report.