Lebron James Leads NBA Eric Garner 'I Can't Breathe' Protest

Basketball took on a political color on Monday night as several players from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets wore black "I Can't Breathe" T-shirts during their pre-game warm-ups before their NBA game in Brooklyn, New York City.

The Cavaliers' LeBron James and Kyrie Irving joined Kevin Garnett, Deron Williams, Jarrett Jack and Alan Anderson in showing their support for the family of Eric Garner who died on July 17 after a police officer put him in a chokehold on the ground after arresting him for selling untaxed cigarettes.

Garner repeatedly said, "I can't breathe" while the police officer was pinning him down – a scene captured on video by a bystander. A Staten Island grand jury, however, recently decided not to indict the police officer, sparking nationwide protests.

On Saturday, Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose also wore the same shirt to show support for protesters demanding justice for Garner.

The players' display of their personal sentiments on Monday was witnessed by Great Britain's visiting Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, who watched the Cavaliers-Nets match, as well as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Asked why he was wearing the T-shirt, James said: "It's not a Cavs thing. It's a worldly thing."

Just like many other African-Americans, James has denounced the deaths of Garner as well as Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Tamir Rice in Cleveland, all at the hands of white police officers.

"It's just for us to make a [statement] to understand what we're going through as a society," James said. "I've been quoted over and over about what's going on as far as it's more of a notion to the family, more than anything. Obviously, as a society we have to do better. We have to be better for one another. It doesn't matter what race you are. It's more of a shout-out to the family more than anything, because they're the ones that should be getting all the energy and effort."

Deron Williams also had mouthful to say about the issue. "I try to kinda distance myself from [social issues]," but this is one where I kinda really paid attention and saw what was going on," the Nets star said. "I mean, you can see the [Garner] video and you know what happened. It's not one of those things where people are saying this and the cops are saying that. It's there for you to see. You just feel bad that a man lost his life because of that."

Kyrie Irving was also vocal about his thoughts. "I think it's really important that we show our respect to the families. More importantly we're in the city where tragedy happened and it's really important to us that we stand up for a cause, especially this one. It hits close to home and means a lot to me," he said.

Kevin Garnett, for his part, said their action simply embodies the NBA spirit. "You hear the slogan 'NBA cares' and it's more evident than now to show some support," he said. "Obviously we're not on the front line of this movement, but I think it's important being from these communities and supporting these communities."

By wearing the "I Can't Breathe" protest T-shirts, the players risked censure from the NBA since they are required to wear on the court attire from Adidas, the NBA's official apparel provider. However, a league source told ESPN that the NBA will not fine players who wore the shirts in warmups.

Nets coach Lionel Hollins and Cavs coach Dave Blatt fully supported their players' action. "They should be political. They should be about social awareness. Basketball is just a small part of life," Hollins said. "If they don't think that there is justice or they feel like there is something that they should protest, then they should. That is their right as citizens of America, and I have no problem with it at all."

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also said he respects the players' action but added that his "preference would be for players to abide by our on-court attire rules."

Outside Barclays Center where the home team suffered an 88-110 defeat against the visiting Cavaliers, more than a hundred protestors chanted and participated in a "die-in" in front of the main entrance to the arena as police officers looked on.

They chanted "I Can't Breathe! I Can't Breathe!" and "No justice! No peace! No racist police!"

The demonstrators swarmed the streets, chanting "hands up, don't shoot" and "black lives matter."

The crowd cheered after they were told about the players' T-shirts.

Last week, five players from the St. Louis Rams walked onto the field and raised their palms in the air, demonstrating the "hands up, don't shoot" gesture of the protesters.