“A team spokesman told ESPN.com the decision to wear the shirts was made collectively between the players:
“There were a variety of reasons why we wanted to wear the shirts,” said D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera. “There were quite a few families that lost their loved ones this year: Mike Brown, Trayvon Martin … we wanted to represent those families that all lost. It wasn’t just for this one scenario for a lot of people who know just this one case, I just think we wanted to represent the families and send our condolences that way.”
The Jayhawks took notice of the shirts, with freshman guard Kelly Oubre calling it a “powerful” team statement.
“It’s a pretty strong stance,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I think it’s pretty good. It certainly shows a lot of solidarity amongst their unit. I don’t see anything negative with it at all.”
After the game, when a reporter asked John Thompson III to connect the protest to his father John Thompson II’s legacy of outspoken beliefs — in 1989, Thompson II walked out before a game in protest of Proposition 42, an NCAA rule denying scholarships to athletes who failed to qualify academically, and once faced down a D.C. area drug dealer who had developed relationships with his players — the elder Thompson offered his thoughts from the back of the room.
“It’s a f—ing school, man,” Thompson II said. “That’s your responsibility, to deal with things like that.”
via Georgetown Hoyas wear ‘I Can’t Breathe’ T-shirts – ESPN.