Before LeBron James made his first playoff appearance for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, he wore a shirt and hat in an attempt to send a powerful message.
His hat, a parody of President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” motto from his first presidential campaign, read: “Make America Arrest The Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor.”
LEBRON JAMES WEARS KNOCKOFF MAGA HAT BEFORE PLAYOFF GAME: ‘MAKE AMERICA ARREST THE COPS WHO KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR’
After the game, James was asked about his message.
“A woman who had a bright future, and her life was taken away from her,” James said of the Kentucky woman. “There’s been no arrests, no justice, not only for her but for her family. We want to continue to shed light on that situation. It’s just unjust. That’s what it’s about.”
Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency medical worker, was slain in March by Louisville police serving a “no knock” narcotics search warrant at her apartment. They found no drugs in her home. An officer was shot during the raid by Taylor’s boyfriend, who has said he thought he was defending against a home invasion. The boyfriend was initially charged but those charges were later dropped. The shooting is being investigated by state and federal authorities.
James put together a tremendous performance in the Lakers’ Game 1 matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. He finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 16 assists, but the top-seeded Lakers couldn’t overcome Damian Lillard’s 34-point outburst.
