- Russell Westbrook’s brother seemingly reacts to LeBron James being disappointed that Lakers didn’t acquire Kyrie Irving
- Josh Giddey downplays possibility of LeBron James breaking scoring record vs. Thunder
- Report: Raptors and Jazz are ‘plan B’ options for Lakers while Hornets, Spurs and Bulls are other ‘teams to watch’
- Report: Lakers had ‘serious concerns’ about Kyrie Irving’s professionalism and availability
- Report: Lakers still optimistic they can upgrade their roster before the trade deadline
- Report: Nets owner’s presumed objective was to send Kyrie Irving anywhere but Lakers
- Report: Lakers could be willing to give up Austin Reaves and Max Christie for Kyrie Irving in unexpected twist
- Report: There’s pessimism that Lakers will land Kyrie Irving due to his contract demands
- Anthony Davis preaches ‘urgency’ as Lakers lose critical game to Pelicans
- Russell Westbrook’s brother seemingly agrees that Lakers won’t make playoffs if they trade him
L.A. Sheriff Boldly Challenges LeBron James to Put Money Where His Mouth Is in Regards to Cop Shootings
- Updated: September 15, 2020
Sunday’s shocking ambush of two Los Angeles County sheriffs has led a fellow sheriff to issue a challenge to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James to double the reward offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the shooter.
On Monday, Sheriff Alex Villanueva appeared on John Phillips’ KABC radio program and stated that the reward at that time was $175,000, then made his case to James.
“This challenge is to LeBron James. I want you to match that and double that reward,” Villanueva said. “I know you care about law enforcement. You expressed a very interesting statement about your perspective on race relations and on officer-involved shootings and the impact that it has on the African-American community.
“I appreciated that, but likewise, we need to appreciate that respect for life goes across all professions.”
“Let’s see what he does. I’ll be very curious to see what his response is, if any.”
As Villanueva noted, James has been quite vocal over police-related shootings of African-Americans, a situation that has been prominently in the news over the past six months.
In the wake of such shootings, James has offered angry commentary both verbally and on social media about the need for such shootings to stop.
Villanueva’s challenge was largely promoted among conservative commentators, who have criticized James in the past for those comments toward police as well as remarks directed at President Donald Trump.
James and the Lakers are currently waiting to see who they’ll face in the Western Conference finals. While James is more than capable of doubling the reward money, there’s no indication as to whether James has been made aware of the challenge or if he plans on accepting it.