KU Jayhawks basketball players explain why they created ‘United We Stand’ jersey patch
Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball players will be wearing a unity patch on the front of their jerseys Thursday afternoon against Gonzaga and in all other games this season.
It reads “United We Stand.”
The message signifies the program’s stance on social injustice in the United States that was brought to the forefront in late May and continued with protests all summer following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police.
“David and I came up with this patch, ‘United We Stand,’’’ KU junior guard Ochai Agbaji said, seated next to teammate David McCormack and coach Bill Self in a KU Athletics video released Wednesday — the day before the Jayhawks’ season-opener against Gonzaga in Fort Myers, Florida.
The video was created to explain the KU players’ reasoning for wearing the patch that includes lettering in yellow with a black background in the shape of the state of Kansas.
Also on the front of the jersey is a United States flag patch and the Big 12 logo, as well as Kansas in block lettering and the number of the individual player.
“We got the idea from a Big 12 football game we were watching one day,” Agbaji said. “We saw they had their own customized patch on it (jersey). It said ‘Unity,’ but theirs was kind of different. We came up with our own idea.”
McCormack explained the coloring of KU’s unity logo, which was designed by Agbaji and McCormack at the urging of Self, who asked KU’s players to consider coming up with some form of statement.
“We thought of a saying for something that stands for community and us being together,” McCormack said of the team. “So ‘United We Stand.’ I don’t think there’s a phrase stronger than that. That stands for wholesomeness and it has a black background because I think through our country’s history and past, even through this past year, it has been kind of a dark time as far as the racial injustice and everything that has gone on.
“For those who may not know, the ‘United We Stand’ portion is yellow because it stands for optimism and hope and hopefully toward the future that we can stand united and be bright and show a light of positivity.”
Self said he liked the fact the players put their message in the shape of the entire state of Kansas.
“I think that adds to it,” Self said in the video. “We talked about this and encouraged the guys to have a discussion and come up with something.
“I was really impressed by all the thought you came up with,” Self added, speaking to McCormack. ”I think I asked you the next day, ‘Dave, why the yellow?’ You were like, ‘It’s hope and optimism, OK, it’s happiness.’ I said, ‘Oh I knew that,’’’ Self added, laughing.
“I think that’s really good and that our fans know where we are coming from,” Self continued. “As you know, throughout any college and their fans it’s usually a pretty diverse group. We want to touch as many as we possibly can this year in a very positive way. I think you guys (players) are taking all the right steps to do that.”
Self asked McCormack in the video to tell fans what he hoped they’d see when they notice the jersey patch Thursday and throughout the 2020-21 season.
“I want Kansas fans to realize that we still have ‘Kansas’ across our chest and that we’re playing for Kansas but we’re also standing for something greater and there’s something bigger than Kansas and beyond, as our nation as a whole as well as we are standing for justice and for all the right causes,” McCormack said. “I think that’s going to be our premise and that’s the whole point of this patch. I think that’s going to be the big strong suit of what’s going on with us this year.”
Agbaji added: “I would say we are playing for something bigger than our program. By wearing this patch all of us have decided and taken that choice and taken that stand to have our voices heard throughout the country, and just within this program to know what we stand for (and) what we truly mean.”
Self concluded: “I think that’s well put and can show everybody out there why I’m so proud to be these guys’ coach.”
This story was originally published November 26, 2020 at 8:44 AM with the headline "KU Jayhawks basketball players explain why they created ‘United We Stand’ jersey patch."
