Athlete activism is something that has become more acceptable in the world we live in today. This is players speaking out on things that they have issues with that don’t particularly pertain to the sport they play. However, this was not always the case. Today I am here to speak on a stance taken by NBA players at a time where it was less common for athletes to do this that I really believe opened the door for others to follow. As you may know police brutality is an issue within the African-American community but also the United States as a whole. Back in 2014 the NYPD murdered a man by the name of Eric Garner. This caused an uproar within the community, and particularly with African Americans. It was unjust, sick and cruel. And for one of the first times, Athletes spoke up. It all began with a t shirt that read his last three words, “I can’t breathe”. Players such as Derrick Rose, LeBron James, and many others wore these shirts to warmup for their game. This may not sound like much, however this is a huge breach in the contract as they are issued to only wear NBA and team apparel to warm up. These athletes were willing to risk their money and possibly suspension from the league to stand up for what they believe in. This was the first time we had seen anything like this, players were making it a purpose to speak on the topic and make everyone aware of the situation. Like said before, this started something that I’m sure these athletes had no idea would happen. Athletes all across sports started becoming comfortable expressing their views on an abundance of things, including political and social justice issues for years to come. The “I can’t breathe” t shirt became a staple and even made a return to the league a year ago following the murder of George Floyd.