Although the 2022 NBA Playoffs are in full swing with two teams on the verge of making the Finals, the world at large was shaken up when reports of a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas occurred.
At Robb Elementary School, 19 children and two teachers were killed by an 18-year-old gunman in yet another senseless act of murder that served as a stark reminder that gun violence is a rampant issue in America. The public mourning and outrage have re-sparked the conversation about stricter gun laws and universal background checks, something that Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr gave an impassioned speech on prior to Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks.
In the wake of the tragedy, the Los Angeles Lakers released a statement calling for elected officials to vote on policies to help eliminate mass shootings, via their Twitter account:
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 25, 2022
Prior to the start of Game 4, the Warriors and Mavericks held a moment of silence as the shooting happened just a few hours before tipoff. The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics also held a moment of silence and the Heat organization also put up a message on their video board echoing the Lakers’ statement about sensible gun laws.
Several prominent Lakers like LeBron James, Magic Johnson and Paul Gasol paid tribute to the victims and offered their condolences to the grieving families while also calling for the violence to stop.
Basketball is on the back of everyone’s minds as the country tries to cope with yet another shooting. The loss of lives is heartbreaking and hopefully elected officials are able to put aside agendas in order to help keep people safe.
LeBron James calls for change after Texas school shooting
James has never had an issue using his platform to speak on issues outside of basketball, and the Uvalde school shooting was something he could not keep quiet about. After offering his support to the families, he went on to say that schools should be where kids feel safest. James eventually followed up with another tweet saying there has to be change, though how that comes remains to be seen.
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