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Players discuss joining 'I Can’t Breathe’ protest

By , Staff writer

Various Spurs players have discussed joining in the “I Can’t Breathe” campaign among NBA players to show support for and solidarity with the family of Eric Garner, who died July 17 after a New York police officer placed him in a chokehold during an arrest.

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose was the first player to don an “I Can’t Breathe” T-Shirt as he warmed up for a game against the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 6. Other players, including four-time Most Valuable Player LeBron James, followed suit during the week.

So far, members of the Spurs have not chosen to join in the “I Can’t Breathe” movement. But guard Danny Green told the Express-News on Friday that players have discussed it as an option.

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“I think it’s great that people are making a stand for what they believe in, and supporting the (Garner) family,” Green said. “We’ve had discussions. We haven’t really come up with anything. We don’t want to do something just because someone else is doing it. We want to do it because we’re into it; it’s what we want to do.

“Obviously here, we like to play it safe. We don’t want to jump on something we don’t know the details about.”

Though wearing nonleague issued apparel in warm-ups violates the NBA’s dress code, none of the players who have donned “I Can’t Breathe” shirts have been fined by Commissioner Adam Silver, who has said he supports players speaking out on social issues.

Green, the Spurs’ player representative to the National Basketball Players Association, expressed confidence Coach Gregg Popovich would support them if they decided to show support for the Garner family.

“Pop supports us, whatever we want to do,” Green said. “He knows we have our opinions that may be different than others. If we wanted to do that, he’d definitely support it.”

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The Garner case holds special resonance with Green, who grew up on New York’s Long Island.

“I don’t know all the details,” Green said. “Nobody does, except for the people that were there. It’s a tragic thing. Obviously, we know some things need to be fixed in our society. … But like I said, I think it’s great guys are standing up, wearing the shirts for what they believe in, and supporting the family. It’s a sad thing, not just that case but many cases around the world, black or white. It’s sad, and hopefully things will get better in the future. I believe they will.”

Leonard still a no-go: Though an MRI exam taken on Wednesday of forward Kawhi Leonard’s injured right hand showed no structural damage, the team’s No. 2 scorer and rebounder missed his second straight game because of pain that makes it difficult to dribble or catch passes.

“Nothing is broken,” Popovich said, “but catching and dribbling is pretty much impossible. So it’s tough for him to be out there. You wouldn’t want him to get hit again.”

mikemonroe

@express-news.net

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After practicing sports journalism in Colorado for 35 years Mike Monroe headed to South Texas, where the air is less rarefied and a hard frost is considered a traumatic winter weather event. He joined the sports staff of the Express-News in 2004, reporting and writing exclusively about the NBA and the Spurs. Since 1985 he has primarily covered NBA basketball, but over a 45-year newspaper career has reported on all manner of sporting events, from football, baseball and golf to ski jumping, cycling and motorsports. He has covered NBA and NBA-related games from Honolulu to Rome and from St. Johns, Newfoundland to Mar del Plata, Argentina. Mike is married to Express-News Social Studies columnist Nancy Cook-Monroe.