Athletes Support ‘I Can’t Breathe’ Movement
Sports stars honor Eric Garner with T-shirts.
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Star Athletes Make "I Can't Breathe" Statement - From Derrick Rose to LeBron James and most recently Kobe Bryant, NBA stars continue to wear "I Can't Breathe" T-shirts in tribute of Eric Garner. The Staten Island, New York man died from a police officer's chokehold in July, and a grand jury failed to indict the cop Daniel Pantaleo last week despite an incriminating video showing him choke Garner. "I Can't Breathe" were Garner's final words and since last week's non-indictment, atheles have proudly kept his memory alive. Here, BET.com takes a look at all the star athletes, especially in the NBA, who have taken a stand. We Can't Breathe!(Photos from left: Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/TNS/LANDOV, Al Bello/Getty Images, UPI/Jim Ruymen/LANDOV)
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Derrick Rose - Derrick Rose can be credited in starting the movement for athletes, rocking a black "I Can't Breath" T-shirt during pre-game warm-ups before his Chicago Bulls hosted the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night. Immediately, media picked up on it and fellow athletes like Reggie Bush and LeBron James thought it was cool, before following suit themselves. Props to D. Rose.(Photo: Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/TNS/LANDOV)
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Reggie Bush - After seeing Derrick Rose make a statement with his "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt Saturday night, Reggie Bush commented that he thought the gesture was "really cool." The Detroit Lions running back immediately followed suit, wearing his own blue "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt during pre-game warm-ups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. (Photo: AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)
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St. Louis Rams - The St. Louis Rams made their "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" gesture public before their game against the Oakland Raiders last week in support of the Michael Brown/Ferguson situation. In a shutout of the Washington Redskins this past Sunday, many Rams players also wrote "I Can't Breathe" on their football equipment in support of Eric Garner. (Photo: AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
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LeBron James - LeBron James followed in Derrick Rose's lead as well, wearing an "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt during warm-ups before the Cleveland Cavaliers game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night. Being that Brooklyn is a borough over to Staten Island, where Eric Garner died, made the gesture all the more special. Also, as King James took the stand inside the Nets' Barclays Center, hundreds of protesters had a die-in demonstration in the Brooklyn streets outside of it.(Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Kyrie Irving - Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving joined LeBron James in the movement, also wearing an "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt before taking on the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night.(Photo: AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
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Deron Williams and Kevin Garnett - Jay-Z reportedly supplied the Brooklyn Nets with the "I Can't Breathe" T-shirts, which Kevin Garnett and Deron Williams proudly rocked before their game with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. Ironically, Hov himself didn't wear one to the game.(Photos from left: EPA/JASON SZENES /LANDOV, Michael Skolnik via Twitter)
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Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant joined the movement, also wearing the "I Can't Breathe" T-shirt to honor Eric Garner before his squad took on the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. Afterwards, Bryant told ESPN: “I think it’s us supporting that movement and supporting each other as well as athletes.”(Photo: UPI/Jim Ruymen/LANDOV)
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Jeremy Lin - Kobe Bryant wasn't alone Tuesday night in making the "I Can't Breathe" statement. His Los Angeles Lakers teammates all wore the statement-carrying T-shirt, including fellow guard Jeremy Lin.(Photo: EPA/MICHAEL NELSON/LANDOV)