LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals as the city responds to another shooting, this time at the UNLV campus.
James used his media availability for the event to give his thoughts on gun violence and express his frustration over America’s unresponsiveness to the crisis.
“We’re the only ones who keep dealing with this same story, the same conversation every time it happens, and it just continues to happen,” James said. “The ability to get a gun, the ability to do these things over and over and over, and there’s been no change is literally ridiculous.”
LeBron James speaks on shootings in America after the tragedy at UNLV today:
“There’s been no change…it’s ridiculous. We’re losing innocent lives.”#NBA #Lakers @KingJames pic.twitter.com/PvJgs0lBVW
— Logan Reever (@loganreever) December 7, 2023
This week, the United States broke a national record for most mass shootings in a single year with 38. The country has lost more than 200 lives in mass shootings alone this year. The UNLV shooting saw three die with another in critical condition just blocks from where James will take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday evening.
“It makes no sense that we continue to lose innocent lives on campuses, on schools, shopping markets and movie theaters and all kinds of stuff, it’s ridiculous,” James continued. “And the fact that we haven’t done anything, it’s actually been a lot easier to own a firearm, it’s stupid.”
This Teen Vogue explainer shows how the internet and private sellers have created new ways for Americans to own firearms over time.
James has been a consistent advocate for gun reform, though he drew criticism early in his career over not initially addressing the death of Tamir Rice, a Cleveland teenager killed by the police.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.