LeBron James and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates all took a knee during the national anthem before tip-off against the Clippers on Thursday, and it was a special moment.
After the game, James said former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick inspired the Lakers to kneel.
"I hope we continue to make Kap proud," James said. "Every single day I hope I make him proud on how I live my life, not only on the basketball floor, but off the floor."
LeBron James on kneeling during the anthem to protest systemic racism: “I hope we made Kaep proud.” LeBron then explains his gratitude for the military pic.twitter.com/FHYWyD06Hm
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) July 31, 2020
To honor the Black Lives Matter movement, the NBA painted "Black Lives Matter" on the courts in Orlando, and the league is allowing players to wear messages about various social justice causes on their jerseys.
James has been outspoken on the issue of racial injustice and has advocated for justice following the death of Breonna Taylor.
A majority of NBA players have been involved in various protests surrounding racial injustice. Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown drove 15 hours to Atlanta to lead a peaceful protest following the death of George Floyd, and Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry led protests in California as well.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!