On Saturday, L.A. Clippers star Paul George and Los Angeles Lakers center JaVale McGee arrived for their respective games wearing t-shirts calling for the arrest of the police officers who killed Breonna Taylor in Louisville on March 13.
George and McGee both donned a black tee that read “ARREST THE COPS WHO KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR” on the front and the “SAY HER NAME” rallying cry on the back.
Good morning. pic.twitter.com/S5RZgMszMS
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 8, 2020
#BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/v27vBQhbrB
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 8, 2020
Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot multiple times by three officers—Jonathan Mattingly, Brett Hankison, and Myles Cosgrove—from the Louisville Metro Police Department. Those officers are yet to be fired or arrested as investigations have lagged and politics have seemingly gotten in the way.
On July 22nd, Paul George devoted his postgame press conference to call for justice for Taylor's death.
“There are so many others that have been brutally murdered by the hands of police,” George said. “That’s all I got. That’s my message for everyone. That will continue to be my answer.”
Paul George opens his press conference expressing condolences for Breonna Taylor’s death and calls for justice pic.twitter.com/ZWFM1hD56F
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) July 22, 2020
Players around the league continue to use the platform offered by the season's restart in Orlando to call attention to racial justice issues in all sorts of ways. One consistent medium for messaging has been on articles of clothing—both on and off the court.
McGee's teammates, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, and Alex Caruso—among many other members of the NBA and WNBA communities—have repeatedly called attention to Taylor's death during media opportunities, via messages on clothing, and beyond. The WNBA dedicated its 2020 season to Taylor.
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