The father of Jacob Blake failed to pick up a once-in-a-lifetime call from LeBron James recently, so he decided to send a message along to the Los Angeles Lakers forward.
In an interview with ESPN, Jacob Blake Sr. seemed embarrassed that he couldn’t answer his phone when James decided to reach out to him.
“Please let LeBron know I did not mean to miss his phone call, I wasn’t putting him on hold,” the elder Blake said. “They made me turn my phone off on the plane.”
James is one of the most outspoken athletes in America on social issues, and he was highly emotional upon finding out that the younger Blake was shot seven times by a police officer on Aug. 23.
The younger Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was about to enter his vehicle when the shooting occurred, sparking unrest around the country following news reports of the incident.
In response, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their first-round series versus the Orlando Magic last week. It was the Bucks’ way of making a statement against racial injustice and police brutality.
The league was put on hiatus for the second time this season as a result, but thankfully, it was a brief one as games eventually resumed last weekend.
James was among the leading voices in calling for a plan of action, one that would give the players and the league greater involvement in advocating for social justice reforms.
Perhaps one day, James and the elder Blake will be able to converse and work together as well in making a difference for the Black community.
