The Los Angeles Lakers destroyed the Portland Trailblazers in Game 4 of their opening-round series, but as soon as the game was over LeBron James’ mind was elsewhere.
“I know people get tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America,” James said in his post-game presser to ESPN. “Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified.”
The comments followed the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The city sits in between Milwaukee and Chicago on Lake Michigan. Blake is currently paralyzed from the waist down and doctors are currently uncertain if he will regain the use of his lower half.
“If you’re sitting here and telling me that there was no way to subdue that gentleman or detain him or just before the firing of guns, then you’re sitting here and lying to not only me, but you’re lying to every African American, every Black person in the community,” James said. “Because we see it over and over and over.”
Prior to tip-off, LeBron retweeted civil rights attorney Ben Crump who demanded justice after sharing the video of Blake being shot.
“And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!!,” James wrote on Twitter. “Exactly another black man being targeted. This shit is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE”