Last Saturday, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose wore a shirt before their game against the Golden State Warriors with the words “I Can’t Breathe” in bold letters, a symbol of support for the family of Eric Garner.
LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Kyrie Irving, Deron Williams and others followed in Rose’s footsteps on Monday. The support continued with Kobe Bryant and nearly the entire Lakers squad donning the t-shirts during their pre-game warmups.
I think the beauty of our country lies in its democracy. I think if we ever lose the courage to be able to speak up for the things that we believe in, I think we really lose the value that our country stands for,” Kobe Bryant said after the game.
The shirt represents the last words of Eric Garner, who died after a police officer put him in a chokehold in Staten Island during an arrest. Protests broke out around the country after the announcement that the officer would not face criminal charges.
For more on Bryant’s discussion, check out our video below.