Singer says 76ers barred her from pregame anthem for 'We Matter' shirt

The Philadelphia 76ers apparently kicked off a hopeful regular season on an ugly note Wednesday night.

Black singer Sevyn Streeter said she was supposed to sing the national anthem at the Sixers' home opener, but was informed shortly beforehand that her performance was canceled. The alleged reason: She was wearing a shirt emblazoned with the words, "We Matter."

The Sixers later released a statement, but did not comment specifically on the issue.

''The Philadelphia 76ers organization encourages meaningful actions to drive social change," the statement read, according to The Associated Press. "We use our games to bring people together, to build trust and to strengthen our communities. As we move from symbolic gestures to action, we will continue to leverage our platform to positively impact our community.''

The NBA recently sent a memo to its players encouraging discourse and promoting positive change in regards to race relations in America, while the national anthem remains a particular point of contention.