Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James angrily expressed his shock at a controversial tweet issued by the Las Vegas Raiders’ official Twitter account about the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial.
This is real???? Nah man this ain’t it at all. The F^%K!!!! 🤦🏾♂️ https://t.co/f44D7OQWfo
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 21, 2021
Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was convicted on Tuesday for his role in the death of George Floyd last May.
The phrase “I can’t breath” has been used by the Black Lives Matter movement for years. In the past, James has worn the phrase on a shirt before games. The tweet by the Raiders struck many as heavily disrespectful.
Raiders owner Mark Davis indicated that no disrespect was intended toward Floyd and that the message was meant to convey the organization’s belief that justice had been achieved.
James has been passionately involved in social justice causes in recent years, with Floyd’s death one of the countless deaths that have struck a nerve with him.
There had been concern regarding a potential acquittal due to the NBA possibly postponing games if violence broke out. Ultimately, Chauvin was deemed guilty on all charges brought against him.
James continues to work toward returning to the court from his high ankle sprain suffered last month, though one report indicates that he may not be back for a while
