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LaMelo Ball joined LeBron James and several other NBA players on Sunday by sharing a powerful message on social media amid protests of the death of George Floyd last week.
Floyd was killed on May 25 after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled into his neck for nearly eight minutes while in custody. Floyd can be heard in eyewitness videos pleading with the officer after he stated he could not breathe.
Chauvin was not initially charged in the death of Floyd but was fired the next day. He was eventually arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Athletes in professional sports leagues across the world have used their platform to speak out against social injustices and racism following the killing of Floyd. Some players, such as Jaylen Brown, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle, have even joined the protests around the United States.
On Sunday, several players posted joint messages on social media condemning racism, stating, “If YOU ain’t wit US, WE ain’t wit Y’ALL!” in the postings.
In addition to the Ball brothers and James, the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers roster and players like DeMarcus Cousins and Jordan Clarkson also shared the same message on Sunday as well.
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