LeBron James is possibly the most identifiable basketball player of this generation and he doesn't take the responsibilities that come with it lightly. James has continued to be outspoken about social issues affecting Black and Brown communities across America, even if it causes unnecessary uproar. The Lakers star was subject to scrutiny by right-wing pundits and police officers following the death of 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant.
"You’re Next #Accountability,” he wrote on Twitter, hours after Derek Chauvin was read a guilty verdict. Many refused to acknowledge the timely social reference and began accusing the NBA star of inciting violence. A Cincinnati bar owner banned NBA games from being shown at his establishment. The LAPD union demanded that the NBA launch an investigation into James while a Los Angeles police officer condemned his message in an open letter that went viral.
Despite the complaints from authority figures and conservatives, there was little conversation surrounding the death of a 16-year-old girl. James recently took to Twitter where he acknowledged that his tweet ultimately took away from the issue at hand. "I fueled the wrong conversation about Ma’Khia Bryant and I owe it to her and this movement to change it," he wrote with a link to an article titled "Why they're not saying Ma'khia Bryant's name" written by Fabiola Cineas for VOX. "Thank you @fabiolacineas for educating us about Ma’Khia and her story and why this needs to be about her."
Check it out below.