But if that’s the case, how unsafe could they really be? Does It Really Take That Long to Do a “Thorough Review” of a Headband? The NBA’s statement explains that “when some players began wearing them last season, we didn’t want to cause a disruption by intervening midseason, but we notified our teams in May that they would not be part of this season’s uniforms.” So maybe ninja-style headbands are unsafe, but not unsafe enough to ditch immediately. If They’re Unsafe, Why Didn’t the NBA Ban Them Last Season? That the headbands are worn on the court would make the “unprofessional” defense more ridiculous, as gym shorts, sleeveless jerseys, and sneakers are hardly business casual attire. Looking “unprofessional” was the reasoning former commissioner David Stern gave when he instituted the league’s notorious and problematic off-the-court dress code in 2005. If the headbands were deemed “unprofessional” by the NBA, and that sentiment was relayed to players, that turns a simple (if slightly dramatic) safety concern into the league policing player style. But is it really a safety issue? In a tweet last Friday, Scott said he was told the headbands were “unprofessional.” It’s unclear who told the Sixers guard this, though he later tweeted to send complaints to the “folks in Oregon.” When asked to clarify, NBA spokeswoman Amanda Thorn George referred The Ringer to the original statement. It’s interesting that individual teams brought this to the league’s attention. “Teams have raised concerns regarding safety and consistency of size, length, and how they are tied which requires a thorough review before consideration of any rule change.” “The ninja-style headwear is not part of the NBA uniform and hasn’t been through the league approval process,” league spokesman Mike Bass wrote in a statement. The league says the ban is for safety reasons: So why ban the ninja-style headbands, and why now? We have some questions: Why Are They Being Banned?

The style has long been worn in other sports, like tennis and soccer, and didn’t seem like any more of a safety issue than, say, NFL linebackers with luscious locks wearing their hair down. Players and fans alike were upset by the news. On Monday, the league announced in a statement that the “ninja-style” headbands popularized last season by players like Mike Scott and Jimmy Butler will be banned for the upcoming 2019-20 season because of concerns “regarding safety and consistency of size length.” The NBA wants you to know that size and length matter.

Shinobi headband