It could be regarded as a badge of honor, an accessory garment awarded only to players who dare to stick their nose in other people's business on the basketball court.
Myles Turner gets to wear a mask when the Pacers resume play in Chicago on Friday, and likely will wear it through the All-Star break, in mid-February. He practiced with it for the first time on Thursday, and reported no issues afterward.
"It's a matter of pain tolerance," he said. "I should be all right. It's not severe. I haven't been hit either, so it's a matter of getting used to being hit.