LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell outraged by Jacob Blake's brutal treatment by police

This weekend, a video of an African American man named Jacob Blake being shot by the police in broad daylight was shared online. The shooting, which Jacob Blake survived, drew protestors to the streets once again, demanding justice for Jacob Blake. Blake, 29, was hospitalised and is currently stable. The video shows Blake being shot in the back as he leaned into his SUV. His three children were seated in the car at the time. 

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LeBron James and other NBA icons react to the Jacob Blake shooting

LeBron James was one of the first NBA stars to react to the video, shared by civil rights attorney Ben Crump who is representing Blake's family. Blake was shot at point-blank range by a white police officer from Kenosha, Wisconsin. The three-time NBA champion demanded someone explain the situation to him, unable to believe that another black man was targetted. "And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police," James wrote, outraged at the incident, demanding justice for their people. 

After country-wide protests following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, NBA players have openly supported the Black Lives Matter movement. Teams, as well as individual players, have spoken up multiple times, continuing their support inside the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida. The league had Black Lives Matter written courtside and players kneeled during the national anthem to make a statement. James has also started a voting rights organization for black people, called More Than a Vote. Several athletes like Trae Young, Allyson Felix and Patrick Mahomes have joined James' initiative. 

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Kyle Kuzma, Donovan Mitchell tweet about Jacob Blake shooting

Jacob blake shooting: Chris Paul reacts to the incident after Thunder's win vs Houston Rockets

While Jacob Blake survived and is stable after undergoing surgery, people expressed their anger and frustration. Many gathered outside the Kenosha County Courthouse and continued to express their views on social media. Apart from LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, Donovan Mitchell and Chris Paul also reacted to the shooting.

While Mitchell and Kuzma tweeted their views, Paul spoke about the incident after the OKC Thunder evened their playoff first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Milwaukee Bucks' George Hill also spoke about the issue after the Bucks' win against Orlando Magic, questioning their season at the NBA bubble amid all the unrest in the USA. The Milwaukee Bucks later issued a statement about the incident. Several NFL stars like Kenny Stills, Michael Thomas and Cameron Jordan voiced outrage at Blake's shooting. 

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Milwaukee Bucks statement on Jacob Blake

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(Image credits: AP)