KEY POINTS

  • UFC star Colby Covington blasts Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on social media
  • Cuban and the Mavericks planned on not playing the American national anthem prior to home games
  • Covington has called out NBA players such as LeBron James in the past

Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington expressed his displeasure at Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team, regarding the franchise’s stance on playing the American national anthem prior to games.

Earlier this week, the Mavericks announced that they would not be playing the national anthem during home games at the American Airlines Center in Dallas for the rest of the season. The Mavericks reportedly had not played the anthem for any of their 12 home games.

The Mavericks’ decision to stop playing "The Star-Spangled Banner" did not last long as the NBA intervened, saying that all teams would play the anthem at the beginning of home games.

"With NBA teams now in the process of welcoming fans back into their arenas, all NBA teams will play the national anthem in keeping with longstanding league policy," NBA chief communications officer Mike Bass said in a statement, Wednesday.

Mark Cuban Dallas Mavericks
Owner Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks reacts against the Miami Heat during the second half at American Airlines Arena on February 28, 2020 in Miami, Florida. Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Following the NBA’s decision to reinstate the playing of the national anthem, Cuban released an official statement:

“We respect and always have respected the passion people have for the anthem and our country. But we also loudly hear the voices of those who feel that the anthem does not represent them. We feel that their voices need to be respected and heard, because they have not been,” Cuban said.

“Going forward, our hope is that people will take the same passion they have for this issue and apply the same amount of energy to listen to those who feel differently from them. Only then we can move forward and have courageous conversations that move this country forward and find what unites us,” he continued.

While the Mavericks will adhere to the NBA’s longstanding league policy regarding the national anthem, many people have already taken notice of Cuban’s actions. One of them is Covington, who took to Twitter to call the team owner out.

This isn’t the first time that Covington has spoken against a member of the NBA community. In 2020, Covington lambasted LeBron James for openly criticizing then-US President Donald Trump.

Covington has regularly taken shots at James on social media since.

“Chaos” is currently the No. 2-ranked contender in the UFC’s welterweight division and is coming off an impressive victory over former champion Tyron Woodley.

He is expected to face his former friend and teammate Jorge Masvidal later this year.

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