The subject of rookie hazing has been all over the sports world in recent weeks, in light of the NFL’s Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito bullying scandal. Looking to get out ahead of a similar controversy, at least one NBA team has banned even innocent-sounding hazing.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Shabazz Muhammad told the Los Angeles Times that he was not allowed to wear the Jonas Brothers backpack he’s been issued as a rookie.

“They actually said they don’t want us carrying them, but I understand with the stuff going on with the football thing,” Muhammad said after team president Chris Wright and GM Milt Newton told the team that kid-themed backpacks were out.. “They want to be separate from that…Now I think rookie hazing won’t exist anymore.”

Wearing a backpack featuring the Jonas Brothers (or Justin Bieber, or Dora the Explorer, or whatever else) is pretty mild stuff compared to the allegations in the Miami Dolphins story, but it’s understandable that teams want to distance themselves.

On Monday night, before the Cleveland Cavaliers’ game against the Chicago Bulls, Cavs point guard Jarrett Jack addressed the concept of rookie hazing.

“(I)t’s not so much hazing, because I don’t like to use that word because it’s got kind of a negative connotation,” Jack said. “It’s kind of just, you having a bit of selflessness, knowing that a lot of people came before you, who paved the way for you to be here now. And getting donuts on game day I don’t think is too much to ask.

“I like to think we treat our rookies very well. At the end of the day, they’re all men and they’re all professionals, that’s the way we want to keep it at all times, regardless of whether we ask them to get some donuts. We never lose sight of the fact that they’re all teammates.”

There goes a key demographic for Justin Bieber backpacks.