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Personnel Writer
Signed up with ESPN in 2018
Appears frequently on ESPN Chicago 1000
Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.– In the Los Angeles Lakers meal room– located down the hall from the court the group practiced on Wednesday– the tv had been left on. The news anchor was dissecting a Kentucky grand jurys choice not to prosecute any of the officers associated with the death of Breonna Taylor.
In the ballroom-turned-practice-facility around the corner, the Lakers were completing up the days workout. LeBron James, sitting off to the side of the court eating a sandwich, discussed the decision with long time pal Randy Mims and shook his head.
Lakers players, preparing for a light practice after they lost Game 3 of the Western Conference finals to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, had their phones pinged by James earlier that afternoon, prepping them for the news.
” Bron texted the group chat that there might be an announcement made,” Lakers guard Danny Green stated. “Nobody was actually delighted about it. It was disappointing. In a sense, something was done, but it wasnt enough. Most guys felt it was definitely not enough. … Its a tough one. Its a difficult one.”
2 RelatedOn Wednesday, a grand jury in Louisville prosecuted one police officer– Brett Hankison– for shooting through the walls and into neighboring apartment or condos. Hankison was charged with 3 counts of wanton endangerment in connection to the police raid that resulted in the death of Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman, on the night of March 13.
James, who did not speak to reporters following Wednesdays practice, later tweeted that he has “been lost for words today.”
” Im ravaged, harmed, sad, mad!” James wrote on Twitter. “We desire Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her next-door neighbors apartment walls and not her lovely life.
” Was I surprised at the verdict. Definitely not but damnit I was & & still am hurt and heavy hearted! I send my love to Breonna mom, household and friends! Im sorry! Im sorry! Im sorry!!”.
Malika Andrews
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Ive been lost for words today! Im devastated, hurt, unfortunate, mad! We desire Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her neighbors apartment walls and not her stunning life. Was I shocked at the decision. Absolutely not but damnit I was & & still am hurt and heavy hearted! I send– LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2020.
“We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was fulfilled for her neighbors house walls and not her beautiful life.
We want Justice for Breonna yet justice was met for her next-door neighbors home walls and not her stunning life. Calls for justice for Taylor– and for the authorities officers included in her death to be held liable in court– have been continuous from players in the bubble in Orlando, Florida.” I know weve been using our platform down here to try to bring about education and a voice in a lot of players on our team, especially also spoken out on justice for Breonna Taylor, “Malone said.” This has actually all been about justice, “Spoelstra stated, referring to the presses players and coaches have made for law enforcement to be held responsible.
Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.
my love to Breonna mother, friends and family! Im sorry! Im sorry! Im sorry!!– LeBron James( @KingJames) September 24, 2020. Like lots of Americans, NBA players have actually been preparing for a choice in this case for months. Calls for justice for Taylor– and for the police officers associated with her death to be held liable in court– have actually been consistent from gamers in the bubble in Orlando, Florida. In the early days of the season reboot, several players– including Lakers guard Alex Caruso and Nuggets forward Jerami Grant– dedicated whole interview sessions to discussing only Taylor. NBA groups started to promote for victims of cops brutality in their own cities. Nearly a month ago, video games in the bubble came to a halt after the Milwaukee Bucks chose not to play their first-round video game against the Orlando Magic as the team reeled from the shooting of Jacob Blake– a Black guy– by authorities officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Green, who has actually talked about Taylors case to start every one of his media sessions given that July, regreted the fact that the leagues gamers havent come together because an” all hands on deck” meeting in August in action to the Bucks choice. “Were still attempting to make the correct actions,” Green stated.” We have not even gotten the opportunity to reconvene. We need more time as a group– not just as our group however as everyone in the bubble and outside the bubble– to figure out how we can continue to get progress in these particular elements, in these certain categories, in these particular neighborhoods, particularly with what occurred today wasnt enough, we felt, and Im sure the majority of people around the nation felt the exact same.”. Caruso, a white player who has chosen to wear the message” Black Lives Matter “on the back of his uniform, mentioned that for as much attention as the Taylor case is getting, racial inequity remains pervasive.” This one case, I think, is the centerpiece right now, however even considering that then, theres been more Black innocent individuals that have actually been killed,” Caruso said. “You know, its simply going to be a long journey. Steps like this are ideally small steps in the right direction, however theres still such a long way to go.”. The timing of Nuggets practice Wednesday also accompanied the grand jurys choice becoming public. Denver coach Michael Malone offered the floor to Grant to attend to the group, which Grant declined because the news was so fresh. “He picked not to, which I genuinely comprehended,” Malone stated.” I at least wished to offer him, before we entered into basketball, the alternative to do so because I know its something that hes been carrying in his heart throughout this procedure.
“. Malone has consistently worn a black T-shirt with the words “Justice for Elijah McClain “printed on the front in white letters to news conferences in Orlando, Florida. McClain, a 23-year-old Black man, was strolling home from a corner store last summer season when police officers in Aurora, Colorado, put him in a chokehold, triggering him to end up being unresponsive. McClain was injected with ketamine when paramedics arrived, which caused him to enter into heart attack, and he died a couple of days later on.” I know weve been utilizing our platform down here to attempt to bring about education and a voice in a lot of players on our group, particularly also spoken out on justice for Breonna Taylor, “Malone said. “We have actually not gotten that justice. Thats a shame.
Ideally that will alter eventually.”. Talking to reporters before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called Wednesdays outcome” not justice. “He included that the$ 12 million civil settlement that the city of Louisville reached with Taylors family recently” appears like such a ridiculously empty reward. “.” This has actually all been about justice, “Spoelstra said, referring to the pushes players and coaches have made for police to be held liable.” And it was not served.”. His Celtics equivalent, Brad Stevens, described the news as “demoralizing,” telling reporters,” To have 15 rounds of shooting fired, 5 of which hit her, and there to be wanton endangerment– which I didnt know existed before today– as the charge …
its tough.” At the end of the day, theres been a call throughout the nation, rightfully so, for more transparency, more responsibility and simply a better neighborhood relationship. And obviously, this feels like an obstacle to that.”. Requested for his thoughts on the judgment following Wednesdays Game 4, Celtics guard Jaylen Brown stated he” wasnt surprised,” mentioning longstanding societal structures. “I think that this society, in the method it was developed and the method … its intents were never to secure and serve individuals of color, at first,” Brown stated. “When they were gearing for what was about to happen, I understood the incorrect decision was most likely being made, but it does not shock me. It does not amaze me at all. Up until we take apart, recreate or change the system that we have, were going to still have victims like Breonna Taylor and others that fall victim to injustice.”. Heat forward Bam Adebayo said that processing the news while getting ready for a video game indicated he” simply needed to carry my anger towards the video game.”.” Its insane that somebody killed somebody, and he gets the same charge as somebody that uses an unapproved charge card,” Adebayo said.” I dont believe individuals actually comprehend: Shes dead. Someone killed her. At the end of the day, you
need justice for that.” But were gon na keep defending justice for her.”. ESPNs Ohm Youngmisuk added to this report.
Dave McMenamin
