NBA commissioner Adam Silver expects players to stand for national anthem

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday night he expects players to stand for the national anthem, according to a report by ESPN.

While standing during the national anthem is not an NFL rule but is an NBA league rule , Silver wants NBA players to understand that it’s important to show respect to the flag.

Silver also said wants players to engage their communities and continue having difficult conversations about social injustices, according to ESPN.

ESPN reported Silver said if a player should refuse to stand once the season begins, “we’ll deal with it when it happens.”