Editors matter, even for the back of NBA jerseys.
On Wednesday, while the New York Knicks were on the road against the Detroit Pistons, Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley’s last name was misspelled on the back of his jersey. His last name came out as “Qucikley” instead of “Quickley,” which is close enough.
There are numerous questions that must be addressed in this situation. For one thing, how did Quickley’s jersey become the first misspelled of the season, rather than one of the dozens of players currently signed to 10-day contracts? Quickley is a major member of the Knicks, one of their top scorers and, especially since Derrick Rose’s injury, a vital element of their current lineup. You’d assume one of the new faces, some of whom arrive on game day, would end up wearing a hurriedly manufactured jersey with a typographical error.
Secondly, what is the editing process for nameplates on jerseys? Typos can happen — Quickley isn’t the first player to have his name spelled wrong, nor will he be the last — but it seems avoidable? Quickley also doesn’t have a particularly complicated last name to spell?
Finally, the Knicks have made two jersey errors in as many seasons. Last year, they sent Reggie Bullock out on the court with the correct number on the front of his jersey but the incorrect number on the back, which they joked about on the broadcast until they realized the “Qucikley” blunder.
Quickley, for one, has nine points off the bench as of this writing, which could easily be “take an extra second to double check the jerseys.” It’s his second game back after being suspended for violating the league’s health and safety policies.
