"That's not going to ever make this world or America what we want it to be," says Lakers star
Thursday 24 September 2020 09:27, UK
LeBron James has hit back at critics who have tried to tie his active stand against police brutality as inciting violence against law enforcement.
After two Los Angeles sheriff's deputies were shot while sitting in their car recently, three-time NBA champion James offered his condolences towards the officers and stressed the need for non-violence.
But LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva asked him to contribute towards a six-figure reward while implying James's words and actions are inciting violence against police.
Asked about the link on Tuesday, James, who is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals against the Denver Nuggets, said he has never condoned violence against anyone.
"I just said that what's going on in our community is not OK, and we fear for that and we fear for our lives," James said.
"It's something that we go on every single day as a black man and a black woman and a black kid and a black girl, we fear; we fear that moment where we are pulled over or - I just seen something, I believe yesterday or the day before, of a guy in Wisconsin was renting a house, and the next door neighbour called the police on him, and the police came in the house without a warrant, without anything, and arrested the guy, a black man because he was sitting out on the porch, and if you can't tell me that's not racial profiling, then I don't know what the hell - or what the hell we are looking at.
"But I do not condone violence towards anyone, police, black people, white people, anyone of colour, anyone not of colour, because that's not going to ever make this world or America what we want it to be. So - and I have zero comment on the sheriff."
James' Lakers currently lead the Nuggets 2-1, with Game 4 set to take place on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports.
