LeBron James and Lakers Teammates Wear Fake MAGA Hats Supporting Breonna Taylor

When speaking to reporters yesterday James said, “We want to continue to shed light on that situation. It’s just unjust.”

LeBron James is demanding justice for Breonna Taylor, last night ahead of the Lakers playoff game against the Trail Blazers he wore a MAGA-like hat with a message. Rather than endorsing Donald Trump, the red hats read “Make America Great Again Arrest The Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor.”

James also wore a collaborative T-shirt that declared “By Any Means Necessary.” The graphic tee is by Angelo Baque’s streetwear line Awake NY. Taylor and George Floyd’s deaths have led NBA athletes to vocally offer their platform to stand in solidarity with the families of the slain. 

LeBron’s teammates who were spotted wearing hats included Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, Rajon Rondo, Danny Green and JR Smith. It’s clear that this was planned ahead of the game. 

Last night on Twitter, an assortment of users shared their thoughts on the MAGA-inspired merch. Some fans liked that the players were still pushing themselves to speak out on behalf of Taylor’s family, while others disagree with the merch completely.

On March 13, 2020 Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by the Louisville Police Department in her apartment during a violent incident. The shooting came after officers issued a no-knock warrant as a part of a drug investigation. Taylor was asleep when her boyfriend, a licensed gun carrier Kenneth Walker believed intruders were causing the noise he heard. The noise he heard were the officers breaking down the door of the apartment. He proceeded to fire at the officers who did not identify themselves. No drugs were found. Breonna’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit two months after her death. 

After Tuesday’s game, James wore the hat while speaking to reporters about the reason he wore it. “It’s just something that we continue to put our foot on the gas, continue to pressure,” James said. “The situation that’s going on in Louisville, Kentucky, an innocent woman being killed, by the name of Breonna Taylor, a woman who had a bright future, and her life was taken away from her. There have been no arrests. There’s been no justice — not only for her but for her family. We want to continue to shed light on that situation. It’s just unjust.”