LeBron James: 3 times that his career transcended basketball
LeBron James transcends basketball.
In the wake of the tragic and unwarranted death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd, cities across the country and around the globe have taken to the streets to bring about change through social justice.
With the NBA season still on hiatus due to COVID-19 suspension, NBA players past and present have followed suit across the country.
Stephen Jackson – Current ESPN analyst and childhood friend of George Floyd – led a peaceful vigil with Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie.
Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown drove 15 hours to lead peaceful protest in Atlanta.
Brown’s teammates Enes Kanter and Marcus Smart held down the fort in Boston by joining in peaceful protest themselves.
The NBA’s past and future are coming together in support of this tragedy and the need for criminal justice reform, but even a noble cause can benefit from some star power.
LeBron James has been providing just that by sharing photos of him wearing “I Can’t Breathe” gear in warmups, wise words from sports analysts, and videos of peaceful protest across the nation.
Although LeBron’s support comes from behind closed doors, I think it’s important to acknowledge the added chaos the mere presence of a legendary sports figure and activist could have on already tense protests.
James may not be walking the streets in the name of Floyd and others, but he’s shown a long history of immense leadership in the face of social adversity. As a result, I’ve decided to compile the three moments that LeBron James transcended basketball for social justice.
Times LeBron James transcended basketball: I Can’t Breathe
In 2014, NBA Stars like Derrick Rose, and our own Kobe Bryant, Carlos Boozer, and Jeremy Linn wore shirts that read “I Can’t Breathe” as a reference to the final words Eric Garner uttered before his life was taken by a Police officer in Staten Island.
LeBron suited up in the gear as well in a game against the Brooklyn Nets.
When asked about the shirts, LeBron stepped up as the league’s brightest star and made his fellow players’ intentions crystal clear. He was immediately able to empathize with the Garner family and express our duty as humans of all walks of life to stand up for what is right.
“This is more of a motion to the family more than anything. As a society, we have to do better. We have to be better for one another, no matter what race you are. But it’s more of a shout out to the family more than anything. They’re the ones that should be getting all the energy and effort.”