Cavaliers F LeBron James last night "walked straight into the politically charged arena that many professional athletes traditionally try to avoid," wearing a black "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt in warmups prior to Cavaliers-Nets, according to Zach Schonbrun of the N.Y. TIMES. It was not James' first time making a social statement, as he has "come to embrace a role in which he is willing to speak out on real-world issues." Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving "also wore the shirt," as did Nets Gs Jarrett Jack, Deron Williams and Fs Alan Anderson and Kevin Garnett. James "spoke briefly" about the death of Eric Garner before the game and "spoke to reporters again after the game." James: “If it feels important to me, then I respond. If it doesn’t, I don’t. There’s a lot of issues I haven’t talked about. For me it’s about knowledge, it’s about the gut feeling.” Schonbrun notes the decision by James "was applauded" by Cavaliers coach David Blatt. Irving said he planned to continue wearing the T-shirt before games “for a while.” But Schonbrun notes that "may create some problems" for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who released a statement yesterday in which he said he respected “all of our players voicing their personal views on important issues.” Silver: "But my preference would be for players to abide by our oncourt attire rules." Schonbrun notes it is "not known whether Silver plans to meet with any of the players to discuss protest guidelines." The T-shirts players wore yesterday "were distributed by Jack, who said before the game that he had heard that James wanted one" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/9). Cavaliers F Shawn Marion said that he "didn't get one of the shirts, but wanted one" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 12/9). Jack said, "Kyrie was my teammate [last year], so I reached out to him, I heard 'Bron say something about it when Derrick Rose took the stance on it, so I reached out to my people out here, Excel Sports Management (Jack's agency), they was able to make it happen, they made a few shirts for those guys." ESPN N.Y.'s McMenamin & Mazzeo noted the statement from the players "came before a game that was attended" by Prince William and his wife, Kate. Players are "required to wear attire of Adidas, the league's official apparel provider." However, a league source said that the NBA "will not fine players who wore the shirts in warmups." McMenamin & Mazzeo noted Jay Z supplied the Nets "with their shirts" (ESPNNY.com, 12/8).
UNLIKE MIKE: SPORTS ON EARTH's Will Leitch wrote for the "thousands and thousands of interviews" Basketball HOFer Michael Jordan did, for "all the endless public appearances and commercial obligations, for the infinite number of seconds the average American has spent looking at his face, it's sort of astounding that Jordan never once uttered anything that made even the slightest dent in the public discourse." The "fundamental strategy for any global-scale athlete since Jordan has been to Be Like Mike." There are "too many sponsorships, too many people making money off you, to ever risk saying anything that could offend anyone." James, "like the rest of us, worshiped Jordan as a player, but he's not entirely of the age of Jordan." Leitch: "It's beginning to look like he's someone who doesn't mind offending a few shoe buyers" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 12/8). ESPN’s Tim Legler said, “NBA players aren’t living in a vacuum” when it comes to social issues and “are aware of what’s going on in the world.” Legler: “They want to have a voice.” ESPN’s Antonio Davis, who previously served as NBPA President, said he was “proud that guys are aware of their surroundings” ("NBA Coast To Coast," ESPN2, 12/9). In DC, Nia-Malika Henderson wrote James' activism is "a big deal," as he is "one of the most famous athletes in the world, the corporate face of a few brands, and he is at the height of his career." Taken as a "whole these protests represent a noticeable departure from what we typically see from athletes" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 12/8). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said, "We live in a time now where athletes declare everything in social media ... and nobody seems afraid like athletes often 15-20 years did of offending someone” ("PTI," ESPN, 12/8).
MAKING A STATEMENT: In Chicago, Joe Cowley notes this is "not the first time Rose has showed a social conscience as of late, making news before the start of the season" when he donated $1M to After School Matters. He also has been "outspoken about violence in the city of Chicago, appearing in a commercial" for Bulls C Joakim Noah’s anti-violence campaign. Rose said that he "'hadn’t heard about' all the fallout from the shirt, but was glad that he was getting support from his teammates," as well as from other NBAers. Rose said of James, "It means a lot for a star like that to come out and say something, especially a megastar. So I’m happy about that." Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of Rose, "I think it’s a great message. It’s about equality and justice for everybody. So I think you guys know the type of person Derrick is" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/9). Rose said that he "probably wouldn't have made such a statement a few years ago, before he became a father" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 12/9). Also in Chicago, David Haugh writes it was "worth the wait to hear Rose finally say something that made Chicago well up in pride instead of wince, to see evidence of Rose's maturity our city has become quick to judge." This was "about a professional athlete with a social conscience extending his reach and, whether you agreed with his stance or not, engendering respect." This "wasn't a message carefully choreographed within Rose's heavy-handed inner circle." This "was his idea." Haugh: "America's listening, D-Rose. Keep talking" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/9). Meanwhile, the Chicago DAILY HERALD's Barry Rozner writes since Saturday night, Rose "has been described -- among other ways -- as uneducated, too ignorant to understand the significance, too wealthy to truly care and merely trying to rehabilitate his image while capitalizing on a tragedy." To think Rose "doesn't know or doesn't care is the continued fostering of a narrative that on the surface -- at least -- appears racist." Rose is "no Muhammad Ali, but he's also not Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan, who were coached to protect the brand above the cause, which is also their right." But there is "more to this Rose story than meets the eye." Rozner: "Derrick Rose can't win. Not in Chicago, anyway" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 12/9).
