LeBron’s choice, along with teammate Kyrie Irving, fought him when he oversaw Eric Garner, 43, choke him after he died to wear the “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt sent by Brooklyn Nets’ Jarrett Jack on December 8, 2014, when he pointed him out when he choke him and accused him of him.
Jack was wearing his shirt while warming up, similar to his home game that night. So were teammates Kevin Garnett, Deron Williams and Alan Anderson. Around the league that followed, Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant were among those who also wore “unable to exhale” shirts.
“I think it’s really important to show respect to your family,” Irving told reporters in the locker room before the game. “More importantly, we are in the city where tragedy took place. It’s really important to us to stand up for this cause, especially for us. It’s a hit close to home and means a lot to me.”
James called it the “possibility” of wearing a shirt on a coat. Asked what the gestures mean later, he replied, “I don’t know. It’s not us that we understand. It’s about understanding what we are going through as a society. I’ve been transferred over and over again about things that are going on. I get energy and effort.”
