NBA Honors Veterans with Patriotic Socks

As part of the NBA’s “Hoops for Troops” week, which started yesterday and goes through Veterans Day next week, players will be wearing shirt, headbands, wristbands, and most importantly, socks, with a patriotic American flag motif.

The Hoop for Troops program, in place since 2006, supports active and retired military personnel. The weeklong commemorations is, according to the NBA, “a collaboration with the Department of Defense, USO, and other military and veteran-serving organizations to honor active and retired service men and women and their families.”

Teams started wearing the socks (and showing them off on social media) earlier this week.

Sock game: 💯#HoopsForTroops #CavsSalute 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ZBy7a75K5D
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 4, 2015

The sock game is 💪 for #HoopsForTroops Week! pic.twitter.com/zm3zU6fAkb
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 3, 2015

Looking good in the #HoopsForTroops week socks pic.twitter.com/5SvZTDnp8G
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 4, 2015

The #HoopsForTroops socks, which debuted tonight, is available to teams all week. It goes on sale tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/oPgAWZJxiu
— Stance Hoops (@stancehoops) November 4, 2015

The socks are available from the apparel company Stance.

Given that some fans thought it was disrespectful for the Phoenix Suns to honor Steve Nash with commemorative socks earlier this season, it’s a safe bet that the response to honoring military veterans with footwear will not be universally well received.