NBA superstars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul took a stand together at the open of the 2016 ESPY Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday, July 13, to make a passionate call to action.
“We asked to start the show tonight this way, the four of us talking to our fellow athletes with the country watching because we cannot ignore the current state of America,” Anthony said. “The events of the past week have put a spotlight on the injustice, distrust and anger that plagued so many of us. The system is broken.”
WATCH: “The urgency to create change is at an all-time high.” – @carmeloanthony https://t.co/V7KMxkibaV
— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 14, 2016
“We stand here accepting our role in uniting communities to be the change we need to see,” Paul, who is the nephew of a police officer, noted in his portion of the speech, naming numerous black men — including Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling — as well as mentioning the Dallas police officers and Orlando clubgoers whose lives have been lost.
WATCH: “We stand here accepting our role in uniting communities.” – @CP3 #ESPYS https://t.co/bMS6Vra3Bx
— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 14, 2016
The most recent deaths included that of Sterling, who was shot and killed by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 5 after an anonymous 911 caller reported that a man was allegedly threatening people with a gun. The next day, a police officer in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, shot and killed Castile after the 32-year-old was pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
“The system is broken,” Paul added. “And the racial divide is definitely not new. But the urgency to create change is at an all-time high.”
Wade picked up where the Clippers point guard left off: “The racial profiling has to stop. The shoot-to-kill mentality has to stop. … Enough is enough. Now, as athletes, it’s on us to challenge each other to do even more than what we already do in our own communities.”
WATCH: “Racial profiling has to stop… but also the retaliation has to stop. Enough is enough.” –@DwyaneWade #ESPYS https://t.co/p7twmTjimT
— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 14, 2016
James closed out the opening by addressing the feelings of helplessness and frustration over the violence, and urged action. “It’s time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, ‘What are we doing to create change?’ … Let’s use this moment as a call to action for all athletes to educate ourselves. … We all have to do better.”
The emotional plea quickly started to trend on Twitter, with former President Bill Clinton tweeting that he was “inspired by the words” of the NBA stars.
Many viewers were moved by the athletes’ message:
Wow! What a powerful, important message to open the #ESPYS
— Ducis Rodgers (@duciswild) July 14, 2016
Seeing Melo, CP3, D-Wade, and Bron open the show, speaking on racial profiling is tremendously inspiring. Perfect opening to the ESPYS.
— David Schiele (@Deacon_Schiele) July 14, 2016
What a great way to open up the espys!! Great to see athletes speaking out on social issues
— Matthew Epstein (@Mepstein_) July 14, 2016
Basketball players kicking in the door with this cold open at the #ESPYS.
— Kozza (@Kozza) July 14, 2016
This year’s ceremony honored the late Muhammad Ali, Zaevion Dobson and cancer survivor Craig Sager, among others.
