LeBron James 'sure' NBA return won't affect his pursuit of inspiring 'meaningful change'

On Friday evening (Saturday IST), 20% of the NBA players were on the conference call with Kyrie Irving where they discussed multiple concerns about the NBA return in Orlando, Florida. Irving, along with several others, talked about taking a stand for the season and possibly sitting out once the games restart in July. However, Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James was not on the call. 

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NBA return: LeBron James thinks he can play and inspire 'meaningful change in society' simultaneously

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick, James, whose Lakers might win the NBA title, thinks that him playing the season in Orlando will not affect his ability to continue inspiring change. Amick added that James wants to keep on making his mark off the court by speaking up, but also wants to continue playing basketball as he believes he can do both. 

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Amick further mentioned that James is currently training 'hard for Orlando' while he continues voicing his opinion and standing up for the Black Lives Matter movement. This week, James and other African American athletes came together to start a group which protects voting rights for African Americans in the USA. Amick also explained that James might also be taking into account all the financial consequences of the Lakers while making his statement.

Lakers' Dwight Howard and guard Avery Bradley were among the several players who were on the conference call. As per reports, Howard was one of the players who spoke about possibly sitting out the games. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski had also reported that Irving, who had initially agreed to the league's plan as the National Basketball Players Association's (NBPA) vice president, is currently being viewed as a  'disruptor' by James and NBA establishments. 

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Apart from forming the voting group More Than a Vote, LeBron James has also been actively interacting on social media about the ongoing protests and George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer. He has posted multiple videos and photos on his Instagram and Twitter accounts, while also calling out a few people. On the other hand, LeBron James and the Lakers have also been reported to have started their training. James has also been trying to workout with his Lakers teammates.

(Image source: AP)