Lakers star James demands justice for Breonna Taylor

LeBron James wasted no time turning the NBA’s Disney World bubble into a platform for advocacy on social justice issues, stating Thursday he wants the Louisville police offers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor to be arrested and encouraging Americans to view “Black Lives Matter” as a reflection of the permanent challenges facing the black community rather than as a temporary “movement.”

The Los Angeles Lakers forward, basketball’s biggest star and long one of the most vocal activists among professional athletes, addressed the subjects following a 108-104 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in a scrimmage.

“We want the cops arrested who committed that crime,” James said. “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.”

The 26-year-old Taylor was shot eight times and killed March 13 when three Louisville police officers executed a search warrant for two subjects who were not at her residence. In the months that followed, Louisville’s police chief was fired and the city’s mayor banned “no-knock” warrants. Taylor’s killing led to months of protests, and one of the three police officers, Brett Hankison, was fired in June. None of three officers has been arrested or prosecuted, a decision that has led to increasing protests on social media networks.

James joined a number of his fellow NBA players in responding to media questions about the NBA’s restart by showing support for Taylor’s family. After players expressed concerns that basketball’s return to play might distract from social justice protests sparked by George Floyd’s death while in Minneapolis police custody, Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George and Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris are among the many prominent players who have repeatedly expressed support for Taylor’s family.

“The cops weren’t even at the right place,” James continued, noting Taylor’s death was the “number one” social justice issue among players. “They just knocked down the wrong door and started doing what they do at that point in time, and that’s just shooting away. That’s just not OK.”

While James has previously advocated on behalf of the families of Trayvon Martin and Eric Garner, among others, he invoked the 1992 beating of Rodney King by members of the Los Angeles Police Department, and said it has been especially “heartbreaking” to track the recent deaths of Floyd and Taylor. Other acts of alleged bias and harassment by police officers have caught James’ attention, including a video he said he watched earlier Tuesday of a black man being arrested while buying a bicycle for his son.

“We’ve been going through a lot,” he said. “You guys don’t understand unless you’re a person of color.”

PHIL LONG / AP 2018 LeBron James said after Thursday’s exhibition he wants the Louisville police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor to be arrested. Taylor was shot eight times March 13 when three police officers executed a search warrant for two subjects who were not at her residence.