*Fox Sports co-host Jason Whitlock is catching some major heat online after slamming LeBron James’ response to the shooting death of a Black jogger in Georgia.
Ahmaud Arbery is the 25-year-old Georgia man who was gunned down earlier this year by two suspected white supremacists near his hometown in Brunswick, Ga. He was unarmed when he was fatally shot in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23.
Travis McMichael, 34, and his father, Gregory, 64, a retired cop, had seen Arbery running in the area and decided to arm themselves, chase him down in a pickup truck and kill him.
According to The Brunswick News, Travis and Gregory followed Ahmaud and demanded that he stop and talk to them, believing him to be a burglary suspect. At some point, they got out of their truck, confronted him and after a struggle over the shotgun with Travis, Arbery was shot at least twice and killed.
Father and son have now been arrested and charged with murder.
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We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes! Can’t even go for a damn jog man! Like WTF man are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? No man fr ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! I’m sorry Ahmaud(Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent to the….. pic.twitter.com/r1PNxs8Vgn
— LeBron James (@KingJames) May 6, 2020
“We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!” James wrote on Twitter Wednesday night. “Can’t even go for a damn jog man! Like WTF man are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? No man fr ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!! I’m sorry Ahmaud(Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent to the heavens above to your family.”
As noted by the New York Post, Whitlock fired back at the Lakers star on Twitter with a bizarre Michael Jordan comparison.
“This isn’t helpful,” Whitlock wrote. “It’s twitter trolling. It’s using this man’s tragedy to build a brand as more outspoken than Michael Jordan. There are all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy. Suggesting that we are hunted everyday/every time is just s–t-stirring.”
James’ NBA colleagues rushed to his defense, with LeBron’s former Cavaliers teammate Kendrick Perkins writing: “You sure you’re not trolling and making it about you? He’s using his platform to speak out on a tragedy and you making it about him and MJ. Do better big bro!”
“Because for @WhitlockJason its all about likes and retweets smh…,” 76ers star Tobias Harris added.
Here’s what retired NBAer Matt Barnes had to say:
Below are more reactions to LeBron’s tweet:
This isn’t helpful. It’s twitter trolling. It’s using this man’s tragedy to build a brand as more outspoken than Michael Jordan. There are all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy. Suggesting that we are hunted everyday/every time is just shit-stirring. https://t.co/zLPICaCKuA
— Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) May 6, 2020
You. Sir. Are an idiot. You wait to critique Lebrons response to point out he’s just brand building. While you without a doubt are using Lebron to brand build. It’s your only play for clout. And on this topic. You’ve sold your soul. Sad.
— Chimdi Chekwa (@ChimChek) May 7, 2020
Let’s be clear. Jason Whitlock is a puppet of white supremacist execs at ESPN & Fox Sports, who prop him up to be a professional punching bag. So when Jason parrots anti-Black talking points FOR his bosses, they can use his tubby ass as a shield to hide from criticisms of racism https://t.co/rXyyn6TepF
— Tariq Nasheed ?? (@tariqnasheed) May 7, 2020
So Jason Whitlock says there are “all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy” huh? 1) It wasn’t a tragedy it was a murder; 2) What is your way Jason? Where is YOUR calling attention to it other than to dis @KingJames and others for discussing it… https://t.co/qYqcAWetGe
— Tim Wise (@timjacobwise) May 7, 2020
“LeBron is the Pied Piper for a lot of athletes,” Whitlock tweeted Thursday morning amid the negative replies to his initial response to James. “If the goal is to promote justice for Ahmaud Arbery, LeBron’s rhetoric doesn’t promote justice. It promotes emotion and fear, the enemies of justice. We can continue to promote emotion/fear or we can seek justice.”
Filmmaker/singer Tariq Nasheed noted on Twitter, “Let’s be clear. Jason Whitlock is a puppet of white supremacist execs at ESPN & Fox Sports, who prop him up to be a professional punching bag. So when Jason parrots anti-Black talking points FOR his bosses, they can use his tubby ass as a shield to hide from criticisms of racism.”
Do you agree? Sound off in the comments below.
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