The sports world has become enraptured with the news that Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones received racist taunts at Fenway Park in Boston.
The incident between Jones and fans in Fenway has even became a talking point in NBA circles as LeBron James recently addressed the issue of race in sports.
From Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon:
“For me, I’ve been to Boston, I’ve played in Boston a lot,” James said, after the Cavaliers beat the Raptors 125-103 in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference semifinal Wednesday. “I just try to have tunnel vision when I play. I can’t recall me ever hearing something that was racism towards me.
“But I think it was great that other guys spoke up for him–not even on his own team, guys from the Red Sox spoke up for Adam Jones, saying hey fans we need you guys to–this is a situation where you need to have a standing ovation. Please do that because it’s not great for sports, it’s not great for society.”
James has always been outspoken when it comes to race and politics, so him speaking out is nothing new. But James adding his viewpoint to the conversation is important, especially since as one of the main stars of the NBA, his voice carries so much weight.