“I think it’s quite sad that LeBron hasn’t spoken out about my son,” Rice said to News One. “I’m not asking him to sit out a game. I know his kids got to eat too, but you could at least put a shirt on or something."
Activists have asked James to sit out games in protest after a grand jury decided not to bring charges against the two Cleveland Police officers involved in Tamir Rice’s shooting death. When James was asked about people telling him to sit — and the Rice case in general — he didn’t have much to say.
COMMENTARY: Stop bullying LeBron into a stand he’s not ready to take
“For me, I’ve always been a guy who’s took pride in knowledge of every situation that I’ve ever spoke on,” James said in December. “And to be honest, I haven’t really been on top of this issue.”
Being that the Rice shooting happened in Cleveland, and James is a prominent figure in the area, many expected him to take a stance. Especially since he’s someone who has made statements before, such as wearing an “I can’t breathe” shirt during warm-ups last season to support those seeking justice in the case of Eric Garner in New York.
