LeBron James explained how the Lakers almost walked out of the NBA bubble, before a consultation with former President Barack Obama.
LeBron James was fully ready to walk out of the NBA bubble with the entire Lakers team, but a conversation with a former president convinced him otherwise.
In an interview on HBO’s The Shop, James revealed the details of the proposed walkout by NBA players to protest violence against black men at the hands of police officers.
The Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for Game 5 in the first round of the playoffs following the shooting death of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Shortly after, James was at the forefront of a vote to boycott the rest of the playoffs. The Lakers and Clippers called for an end to the season.
“We were ready to leave too,” James said. “We were trying to figure out if we leave or if we stay, what is our plan? What is our call for action?”
LeBron James was ready to walk out of the NBA bubble
James credited former President Barrack Obama for giving the players guidance and helping them to form their plan going forward.
“I’m lucky enough to have a friend that gave us those words of leadership,” James said.
The Lakers ended up sticking it out in the bubble and things worked out pretty well for them.
James led Los Angeles through the remainder of the playoffs, dispatching the Portland Trailblazers in the first round before taking out the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Then they bested the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals and moved on to face the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. With a 4-1 record, James won a fourth NBA Championship, his first with Los Angeles.
It’s obviously more difficult to solve the societal problems surrounding police brutality, but James continues to be an active force on that front.