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Gradey Dick and Anthony Black treated us to one of the more amusing moments of the NBA season when they swapped jerseys after a game earlier this week, and the Kansas product had some trouble keeping his composure when he got the chance to explain what inspired the exchange.
It’s not rare to see NBA players swap jerseys at the end of a contest. That particular tradition has its origins in soccer thanks to players who first pulled the move following a match between England and France close to a century ago, and Dwyane Wade is largely credited for bringing it to basketball.
Swapping jerseys is viewed as a sign of mutual respect, and while the exchange is frequently used as a way to give props to an opponent after a hard-fought battle, there aren’t really any official rules or guidelines when it comes to situations where they should be initiated.
That brings us back to Gradey Dick, who linked up with Anthony Black after the Magic beat the Raptors by a score of 111-96 on Sunday night before seeing their jersey swap go viral for reasons that should be obvious if you’re capable of inhabiting the mind of a middle school student.
Gradey Dick and Anthony Black do a jersey swap🚨😭
pic.twitter.com/uk4eM4pPLx— Salt Flash (@SaltFlash) March 18, 2024
Based on a clip of the two rookies discussing a potential swap prior to pulling the trigger, it certainly seemed like they knew exactly what they were doing, and Dick didn’t really do a great job dismissing that notion thanks to how he reacted when he got the chance to explain what led up to the viral moment.
Gradey Dick on why he swapped jerseys with Anthony Black:
"That's been my guy for a long time. Guys jersey swap with their boys, and that's my friend."
Other jersey swaps planned?
"If I played against them and they're my guy, I'll jersey swap with them. Nothing more to it." pic.twitter.com/RcuuyBxbSB
— William Lou (@william_lou) March 19, 2024
Here’s what he had to say while trying (and failing) to keep a straight face:
“That’s my guy. I’ve been playing against him—or against him and with him—since my middle school days, so that’s been my guy for a long time.
Guys jersey swap with their boys. That’s my friend.”
Dick said he’d pull the same move with other guys he played alongside while growing up, and while I don’t know if that was the case with Suns forward Nassir Little, the two of them have the opportunity to do the funniest thing possible the next time Toronto and Phoenix face off.