LeBron James is advocating for the arrest of the Louisville police offers who killed Breonna Taylor, and he’s using his platform to keep the issue at the forefront, the Washington Post reports.
After a 108-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in a scrimmage at the Visa Center on Thursday, James spoke about Taylor as well as the Black Lives Matter movement. “We want the cops arrested who committed that crime. As one of the leaders of this league, I want her family to know and the state of Kentucky to know that we feel for her and we want justice. That’s what it’s all about. What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong. This is a wrong situation that’s going on in my eyes.”
Lakers’ LeBron James on Breonna Taylor: “We want the cops arrested.” pic.twitter.com/TmMSYgoJQi
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) July 24, 2020
Other players also talked about social justice issues and expressed their concern that the restart of the NBA’s season would distract from the Black Lives Matter movement and other efforts to fight police brutality.
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“Breonna Taylor, Rest In Peace. George Floyd, Rest In Peace. There are so many others that have been brutally murdered by the hands of the police. That’s my message. That’s all I’ve got,” said Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George during a media appearance.
As part of the eventual agreement for the restart of the NBA during the pandemic, the league added a “Black Lives Matter” decal to the playing courts. Players can also wear advocacy messages, including Black Lives Matter, instead of their last names on the back of their jerseys, according to the Post.
Increasing diversity in the administrative and coaching departments of the NBA was also part of the agreement, including increasing the number of Black employees in the coaching and front office, more partnerships with Black-owned businesses and the creation of a foundation to fund education and business opportunities for Black communities.
